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THE  BOOK  OF  JOB 


1 


THE 


BOOK  OF  JOB 


ILLUSTRATED 

WITH  FIFTY  ENGRAVINGS  FROM  DRAWINGS 

BY  JOHN  GILBERT, 


AND  WITH 


EXPLANATORY  NOTES  POETICAL  PARALLELS 
BY  JAMES  HAMILTON,  D.  D. 


NEW  YORK; 

ROBERT  CARTER  & BROTHERS,  530  BROADWAY. 


MDCCCLVIII. 


Printed  by  R.  & R.  Clark,  Edinburgh. 


cL 


< 


3 


CONTENTS 


List  of  Illustrations  .... 

Divisions  of  the  Authorized  Version 
Preface  ...... 

The  Patriarch  and  the  Poem  . 

Introduction  ..... 

Part  L The  Controversy,  First  Series 
Part  II.  The- Controversy.  Second  Series 
Part  III.  The  Controversy.  Third  Series 
Part  IV.  Elihu  .... 

Part  V.  The  Divine  Arbiter 
Conclusion  ..... 

Notes  ...... 


Page 


XXI 

7 

19 

55 
79 
1 1 1 
^31 
151 
157 


<1 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/bookofjob00hami_0 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Designed  by  John  Gilbert  ^ 

Engraved  by  Dalziel  Bros.,  J.  W.  Whymper,  Sc  W.  L.  Thomas,  and 
Printed  by  R.  Sc  R.  Clark. 


Engraved  by  Page 

THE  PATRIARCH. 

Lhat  man  vaas  perfect  and  upright^  and  one  that 

feared  God.  Whymper.  9 

THE  FAMILY  ALTAR. 

jfoh  sent  and  sanctified  them,  . . . and  offered 
burnt  offerings  according  to  the  number  of  them 

all.  Dalziels.  3 o 


THE  FORAY. 

The  oxen  nvere  plowing,  and  the  asses  feeding 
beside  them  : and  the  Sabeans  fell  upon  them, 

and  took  them  away.  Whympej’.  1 1 


FIRE  FROM  HEAVEN. 

The  fre  of  God  is  fallen  from  heaven,  and  hath 
burned  up  the  sheep,  and  the  servants,  . . . ; 
and  I only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee. 


l 2 


Whympei'. 


Vlll  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

THE  CAPTURED  CARAVAN. 

Engraved  by  Page 

The  Chaldeans  . . . fell  upon  the  camels.^  and 
have  carried  them  away,  yea,  and  slain  the 
servants  with  the  edge  of  the  sword. 

Whymper.  1 3 

BEREAVEMENT. 

The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ; 
blessed  he  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

Whymper.  14 

THE  COUNCIL  OF  DESPAIR. 

Then  said  his  wife  unto  him.  Dost  thou  still 
retain  thine  integrity  ? curse  God,  and  die. 

Dalziels.  1 5 

THE  THREE  FRIENDS. 

So  they  sat  down  with  him  upon  the  ground 
seven  days  and  seven  nights. 

Whymper.  16 

THE  MOURNER. 

None  spake  a word  unto  him : for  they  saw 
that  his  grief  was  very  great. 

Whymper.  2 1 

THE  CEMETERY. 

Then  had  I been  at  rest. 

With  kings  and  counsellors  of  the  earth, 
IVhich  built  desolate  places  for  themselves . 

Dalziels.  2 3 

THE  DEAD  LION. 

The  old  lion  per  isheth  for  lack  of  prey. 


Dalziels. 


25 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


IX 


THE  VISION. 

Engraved  by  Page 

In  thoughts  from  the  ’visions  of  the  night. 
When  deep  sleep  falleth  on  men. 

Fear  came  upon  me,  and  trembling. 

Which  made  all  my  hones  to  shake. 

Then  a spirit  passed  before  my  face. 

Thomas.  2 7 

HARVEST  HOME. 

Thou  shalt  come  to  thy  grave  in  a full  age. 

Tike  as  a shock  of  corn  cometh  in  in  his  season. 

Whymper.  30 

THE  DISAPPOINTED  PILGRIMS. 

As  the  stream  of  brooks  they  pass  away  ; . . . 
The  troops  ofTema  looked,  . . . 

They  were  confounded  because  they  had  hoped. 

Thomas.  3 2 

.LONGING  FOR  SUNSET. 

As  a servant  earnestly  desireth  the  shadow. 

Whymper.  34 

NIGHT. 

Which  commandeth  the  sun,  and  it  riseth  not ; 
And  sealeth  up  the  stars. 

Thomas.  3 9 

THE  COURIER. 

My  days  are  swifter  than  a post. 

Thomas.  41 

THE  SHADOWY  LAND. 

A land  of  darkness,  as  darkness  itself', 

And  of  the  shadow  of  death,  without  any  order . 

Thomas.  44 

X 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


DIVIDING  THE  SPOIL. 

The  tabernacles  of  robbers  prosper. 

Engraved  by 
Whymper. 

Page 

47 

LIKE  A FLOWER. 

He  cometh  forth  like  a flonver^  and  is  cut  down. 

Thomas. 

52 

MISERABLE  COMFORTERS. 
Miserable  comforters  are  ye  all. 
Shall  vain  words  have  an  end? 

Whymper. 

57 

CONSCIENCE. 

A dreadful  sound  is  in  his  ears. 

Dalziels. 

59 

THE  ASSASSIN. 

The  light  of  the  wicked  shall  be  put  out,  . . . 
He  walketh  upon  a snare. 

Dalziels. 

65 

UPROOTED. 

Mine  hope  hath  he  removed  like  a tree. 

Thomas. 

68 

THE  WRITTEN  ROCK. 

Oh  that  my  words  . . . 

. . . were  graven  with  an  iron  pen 
And  lead  in  the  rock  for  ever  ! 

Dalziels. 

70 

THE  COBRA. 

The  viper's  tongue  shall  slay  him. 

Whymper. 

72 

MERRY-MAKING. 

They  take  the  timbrel  and  harp^ 

And  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ. 

Thomas. 

75 

LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


XI 


THE  AMBUSH. 

Engraved  by 

Page 

The  roller  shall  prevail  against  him. 
The  snare  is  laid  for  him  in  the  ground. 
And  a trap  for  him  in  the  way. 

Dalziels. 

81 

THE  CHURL. 

Thou  hast  not  given  water  to  the  weary  to  drink. 
And  thou  hast  withholden  Iread from  the  hungry. 

Thomas. 

82 

DISTRAINING. 

They  drive  away  the  ass  of  the  fatherless. 
They  take  the  widow'* s ox  for  a pledge. 

Thomas. 

86 

THE  OUTCAST. 

They  . . . embrace  the  rock  for  want  of  a shelter. 

Whymper. 

87 

THE  BURGLAR. 

In  the  dark  they  dig  through  houses. 

Whymper. 

89 

THE  GREAT  SICKLE. 

They  are  taken  rmt  of  the  way  as  all  other ^ 

And  cut  off  as  the  tops  of  the  ears  of  corn. 

THE  MISER. 

Though  he  heap  up  silver  as  the  dust. 

And  prepare  raiment  as  the  clay  ; 

He  may  prepare  it,  hut  the  just  shall  put  it  on, 

And  the  innocent  shall  divide  the  silver. 

THE  ML\ER. 

He  . . . searcheth  out  all  perfection  : 

The  stones  of  darkness,  and  the  shadow  of  death,  Dalzicls.  96 


Whymper.  90 


Galziels.  94 


Xll 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Engraved  by  Page 

EYES  TO  THE  BLIND. 

I was  eyes  to  the  blind.  Dalziels.  99 

THE  TREE  PLANTED  BY  THE  RIVERS. 

My  root  was  spread  out  by  the  waters, 

And  the  dew  lay  all  night  upon  my  branch.  Whymper.  i O i 

ALMS-GIVING. 

If  I ..  . have  eaten  my  morsel  myself  alone, 

And  the  fatherless  hath  not  eaten  thereof  Dalziels.  1 06 

HOSPITALITY. 

/ opened  my  doors  to  the  traveller.  Whymper.  1 08 

SNOW. 

He  saith  to  the  snow.  Be  thou  on  the  earth.  Whymper.  I I 3 

THE  STORM. 

He  directeth  . . . his  lightning  unto  the  ends 

of  the  earth.  Whymper.  127 

THE  VOICE  FROM  THE  WHIRLWIND. 

1 'hen  the  Lord  answered  fob  out  of  the  whirlwind.  Whymper.  133 

THE  DOORS  OF  THE  DEEP. 

Who  shut  up  the  sea  with  doors,  . . . 

And  said.  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  but  no  further: 

And  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed.  Thomas.  I 35 

THE  DEN. 

Wilt  thou  . . . fll  the  appetite  of  the  young  lions. 

When  they  couch  in  their  dens?  Whymper.  1 37 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Xlll 


THE  WILD  ASS. 

Who  hath  loosed  the  hands  of  the  wUd  ass  ? 

Engraved  by 
Dalziels. 

Page 

J39 

THE  UNICORN. 

Wdt  thou  trust  him^  because  his  strength  is  great  P 

Whymper. 

140 

THE  OSTRICH. 

G a vest  thou  . . . ‘zvings  and  feathers  unto  the 
ostrich  ? 

Dalziels. 

J41 

THE  CHARGER. 

Hast  thou  clothed  his  neck  vuith  thunder  P 

Dalziels. 

143 

BEHEMOTH. 

He  lieth  under  the  shady  trees. 

In  the  covert  of  the  reeds  and  fens. 

Dalziels. 

145 

LEVIATHAN  AT  PLAY. 

He  maketh  the  deep  to  boil  like  a pot. 

Whymper. 

147 

Divisions  of  the  Authorized  Version. 


Chapter 

1. 

II. 

III. 

IV. 

V. 

VI. 

VII. 

VIII. 

IX.  , 

X. 

XI. 

XII. 

XIII. 

XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII. 
XVIII 

XIX. 

XX. 

XXI. 


Chapter  Page 

XXII.  ...  8 1 

XXIII.  . . 84 

XXIV.  . . 86 

XXV.  . . 91 

XXVI.  . . 91 

XXVII.  . . 02 


XXVIII. 


XXIX.  . . 98 

XXX.  . . loi 

XXXI.  . . 104 

XXXII.  . . I 13 

XXXIII.  . . 115  ^ 

XXXIV.  . . 1 18 

XXXV.  . . 122 

XXXVI.  . . 123 

XXXVII.  . . 126 

XXXVIII.  . . 133 

XXXIX.  . . 138 

XL.  . . . 144 

XLI.  . . . 146 

XLII.  . . . 153 


Page 

9 

13 

2 I 

24 

28 

30 

33 

36 

38 

42 

44 

46 

49 

51 

57 

61 

63 

64 

67 

70 

74 


In  some  respects,  the  Book  of  Job  is  one  of  the  most 
interesting  portions  of  Scripture.  It  is  the  oldest  poem  in 
the  world,  and  it  is  perhaps  the  oldest  book  in  the  Bible. 
It  is  farther  remarkable,  inasmuch  as  its  hero  (to  use  the 
language  of  literature)  is  not  a Hebrew,  and  its  locality  is 
not  the  Holy  Land.  It  carries  us  back  to  a state  of  things 
earlier  than  the  Jewish  economy,  and  it  gives  us  a glimpse 
of  that  patriarchal  piety  which  was  preserved  in  the  ark, 
and  of  which  specimens  lingered  as  late  as  the  days  of 
Melchizedek. 

But  it  is  not  only  on  account  of  its  antiquity,  its  ante- 
cedence to  the  Ceremonial  Institute,  and  its  patriarchal 
catholicity,  that  the  Book  of  Job  claims  our  special  regard. 
It  grapples  with  the  gravest  and  most  awful  questions 


XVI 


PREFACE. 


which  affect  our  mysterious  humanity,  and  it  exhibits 
many  of  the  perfections  of  the  Most  High  in  a light  which 
at  once  overwhelms  the  gainsayer  and  elevates  the  wor- 
shipper. Sin,  Atonement,  Acceptance  with  God,  Suffering, 
Death,  Satanic  Agency,  the  Divine  Benevolence,  are  all 
more  or  less  illustrated  in  its  comprehensive  theology ; 
and,  whilst  the  elegiac  strain  by  which  it  is  pervaded  must 
evermore  give  it  a powerful  hold  on  human  sympathies 
in  this  world  of  sorrow,  few  books  are  better  fitted  to  teach 
the  reader  humility,  resignation,  compassion,  and  trust  in 
Providence. 

At  the  same  time  it  possesses  an  unusual  amount  of 
incidental  attractions.  It  gives  us  a specimen  of  the  way 
men  thought  and  reasoned  when  the  world  was  young  and 
when  lives  were  long."*"  It  throws  not  a little  light  on 
primitive  manners ; and,  if  it  cannot  be  called  a history  of 
inventions,  it  shews  us  at  least  how  very  ancient  are  writing 
and  book- making,  music,  the  military  art,  mining  and 
working  in  metals,  the  manufacture  of  wine,  the  naming  of 
the  stars.  It  sets  before  us  pictures  wonderfully  vivid  of 
the  husbandman,  the  warrior,  the  traveller,  the  sportsman, 
the  stately  magnate,  and  the  starving  outcast  of  that  departed 

* Job’s  own  life  could  hardly  be  shorter  than  two  centuries.  See  the  close 
of  the  Book. 


PREFACE. 


XVll 


era.  And,  not  to  mention  that  it  contains  some  of  the 
most  magnificent  descriptions  of  natural  objects  and  pheno- 
mena to  be  found  in  any  language,  we  must  search  its  page 
in  order  to  find  the  earliest  forms  of  those  sublime  and 
beautiful  images  which  delight  us  in  the  poets  of  our  own 
day,  and  in  which  Job  anticipated  by  many  ages  Homer, 
Pindar,  and  Sophocles. 

We  are  not  without  the  hope  that  some  may  be  induced 
to  read  in  the  present  edition  this  most  ancient  of  poems, 
who  have  never  yet  given  it  what  it  so  eminently  demands, 
and  will  so  richly  repay — a continuous  perusal.  We  have 
preferred  retaining  that  time-hallowed  translation,  which  is 
so  endeared  to  the  fifty  millions  of  the  English-speaking 
world ; but  where  subsequent  research  has  brought  out  any 
important  error  in  that  version,  or  any  special  force  in  the 
original,  we  have  added  it  in  the  Notes  at  the  end. 

These  Notes  also  contain  occasional  specimens  of  the 
renderings  which  have  been  attempted  by  the  bards  of  our 
own  and  other  lands,  and  a few  of  those  poetical  parallels, 
to  which  every  reader  of  taste  will  be  able  to  make 
numberless  additions.  To  our  younger  readers,  especially, 
we  would  recommend  it  as  a pleasant  and  instructive 
exercise,  in  their  excursions  through  the  fields  of  modern 
poetry,  whether  British  or  Continental,  to  take  with  them 


XVlll 


PREFACE, 


as  a companion  such  a book  as  Job,  Ecclesiastes,  or  the 
Psalms.  They  will  detect  many  curious  coincidences,  and 
not  a few  unconscious  plagiarisms ; and,  especially  in  that 
portion  of  the  territory  which  borders  most  nearly  on  the 
Bible  enclosure, — our  English  and  German,  in  other  words, 
our  Protestant  poetry, — they  will  be  surprised  to  find  how 
many  of  the  fairest  flowers  are  exotics  which  at  some 
time  or  other  have  been  transplanted  from  the  Volume  of 
Inspiration,  but  which  have  been  so  widely  disseminated 
and  so  thoroughly  acclimatized  that  they  now  pass  for 
indigenous  productions. 

We  once  thought  of  adding  a short  dissertation  on  the 
Bibliography  of  Job ; but  the  subject  is  too  extensive. 
Eor  many  minds  this  portion  of  Sacred  Writ  has  possessed 
a peculiar  fascination,  and  long  lives  have  been  devoted  to 
its  study.  The  gigantic  commentary  on  which  Joseph 
Caryl  expended  upwards  of  twenty  years  is  well  known, 
and  it  has  more  intrinsic  value  than  might  be  expected 
from  its  huge  dimensions.  But  those  who  are  really 
anxious  to  understand  the  book  will  find  better  help  in 
authors  more  attainable ; for  instance,  in  Schultens,  and 
Good,  and  Barnes.  One  of  the  most  curious  contributions 
to  this  department  of  literature  was  made  by  the  father  of 
John  and  Charles  Wesley.  When  ready  for  the  press,  his 


PREFACE, 


XIX 


manuscript  was  burnt  along  with  all  his  library  ; but,  in  a 
spirit  worthy  of  his  author,  the  cheerful  old  man  resumed 
his  task,  and,  amidst  gout  and  palsy,  composed  it  all  anew. 
After  his  death  it  was  published,  with  its  elaborate  plates 
and  widely  collected  information,  in  a folio  so  tall  that  a 
modern  book-shelf  can  seldom  find  standing-room  for  a 
full-sized  copy. 


THE  PATRIARCH  AND  THE  POEM. 


Three  thousand  years  ago,  in  Arabia  or  some  Eastern  land,  lived  a 
prosperous  chieftain.  He  was  very  rich.  Not  that  he  owned  broad  acres, 
nor  counted  pver  bags  of  money  like  a modern  millionnaire  ; but  in  the  direct 
and  simple  fashion  of  those  early  days  he  possessed  an  ample  property.  To 
till  the  fields  he  kept  five  hundred  yoke  of  oxen,  and  in  his  flocks  his 
shepherds  numbered  seven  thousand  sheep.  He  must  have  also  carried  on  an 
extensive  traffic,  probably  with  Egypt,  or  the  shores  of  the  Persian  Gulf,  as 
he  boasted  no  fewer  than  three  thousand  of  those  “ ships  of  the  desert,”  the 
camel.  Nor  would  it  be  easy  to  estimate  the  host  of  retainers  needed  to 
conduct  those  camels,  to  tend  those  flocks,  to  plough  those  fields.  But 
with  all  his  wonderful  wealth  and  power.  Job  was  an  upright  and  God- 
fearing man.  Of  his  large  capital,  he  took  no  advantage  to  drive  hard 
bargains  ; by  no  consciousness  of  strength  was  he  tempted  to  deeds  of  des- 
potism. Alike  just  and  generous,  his  hired  labourers  he  paid  with  a cheer- 
ful promptitude  ; the  orphans  and  widows,  the  blind  and  lame,  found  in  him 
a father  ; and  the  fame  of  his  virtues  filled  an  admiring  neighbourhood. 
To  crown  the  whole,  he  was  blessed  with  an  affectionate  and  well-doing 
family.  Although  some  of  them  had  settled  in  life,  and  had  houses  of  their 
own,  his  seven  sons  and  three  daughters  had  not  lost  their  love  for  one 


XXll 


THE  PATRIARCH 


another.  They  made  a point  of  meeting  from  time  to  time  ; and  whether 
it  were  a biith-day  or  other  anniversary  which  brought  them  together,  they 
anticipated  with  affectionate  eagerness  the  return  of  each  family  festival. 
These  joyful  gatherings  were  graced  by  the  presence  of  the  patriarch  him- 
self, who  on  the  morrow  after  the  banquet  was  wont  to  convene  his 
numerous  household,  and  round  the  family  altar,  and  over  the  blood  of 
victims  correspondingly  numerous,  entreated  the  pardon  of  his  children’s 
sin,  if,  haply,  excitement  had  risen  to  excess,  or  mirth  had  been  betrayed 
into  impiety.  And  then,  direct  from  that  altar, — with  the  exhortations,  the 
prayers,  and  the  blessing  of  a father  still  sounding  in  their  ears, — in  the 
peace  of  atonement,  and  the  sweet  sense  of  God’s  favour,  the  sons  and 
daughters  sought  their  several  dwellings.  No  wonder  that,  thus  prosperous 
and  flourishing, — with  the  dew  on  his  branch,  and  his  root  beside  the 
waters, — the  happy  sire  exclaimed,  “ I shall  die  in  my  nest ; I shall  multiply 
my  days  as  the  sand.” 

But  the  same  Evil  Eye  which  was  pained  by  the  sight  of  Eden,  was 
disturbed  at  the  smiling  aspect  of  Uz,  and  longed  to  turn  it  into  misery. 
The  unexpected  opportunity  was  at  last  afforded.  There  was  an  assembly 
of  angelic  beings, — one  of  those  reviews  or  intermediate  days  of  judgment 
on  which  it  would  seem  as  if  the  Supreme  Governor  took  account  of  his 
ministers,  whether  still  obedient  or  revolted  ; — and,  as  Satan  presented  him- 
self, Jehovah  demanded, — “Whence  comest  thou?”  The  answer  being, 
that  he  had  just  completed  a tour  of  the  earth,  Jehovah  inquired, — “ Hast 
thou  considered  my  servant  Job  ? ” giving  him  as  an  instance  of  a genuine 
saint  in  a world  where  Satan  had  done  his  utmost  to  extirpate  piety.  But 
Satan  is  the  great  sceptic.  Since  his  own  fill,  and  since  the  overthrow  of 
our  first  parents,  he  has  no  faith  in  goodness.  Yes,  he  had  considered  Job, 
and  was  far  from  thinking  him  invulnerable.  ‘ True,  Thou  hast  fenced 
him  round  so  that  one  dare  not  touch  him.  But  strip  him  of  those  posses- 
sions with  which  Thou  hast  rewarded  his  piety  and  bribed  his  devotion,  and 
he  will  CURSE  Thee  to  thy  face.’  The  taunt  was  uttered  in  the  presence 
of  the  sons  of  God, — those  bright  sj)ii  its  whose  associate  Satan  once  had 


AND  THE  POEM, 


XXlll 


been,  and  whose  loyalty  he  did  not  yet  despair  of  shaking.  It  was  equiva- 
lent to  Sciying  that  all  piety  is  selfishness,  and  that  the  holiest  man  on  earth 
is  no  better  than  a hypocrite  ; and  it  was  a foul  insinuation  against  that 
second  Adam,  in  whose  strength  all  genuine  goodness  stands,  of  whose 
Spirit  all  the  piety  on  earth  is  the  immediate  emanation.  “ Put  forth  thine 
hand,  and  touch  all  that  he  hath,  and  he  will  curse  thee  to  thy  face.” 
No,  God  would  not  do  it ; but  he  would  let  Satan  do  it.  He  would  let 
Satan  do  it  himself ; and  then  there  could  be  no  cavil  about  the  fairness  of 
the  experiment,  and  the  completeness  of  the  trial.  “ Behold,  all  that  he 
hath  is  in  thy  power  ; only  upon  himself  put  not  forth  thine  hand.” 

The  air  is  still.  In  yonder  ship  the  sails  droop  idly  from  the  glowing 
yards,  and  in  the  shadow  the  sailors  sleep.  And  here  ashore,  beneath  the 

downright  noon,  all  life  is  in  a tranquil  sleep — a drowse  of  happiness. 
And  as  from  under  the  blossomed  alcove  the  day-dreamer  gazes  on  the 
smokeless  city  and  the  speckless  sky,  he  can  hardly  hear  a sound  through 
all  the  Sabbath  of  that  hushed  and  peaceful  hour  ; — when  suddenly  a hollow 
rumble  passes  up  into  a rapid  crash  ; and  as  out  yonder  on  the  bay  the  ship 
trembles,  totters,  founders,  and  the  mountain  billow  bursts  and  sends  far  into 
the  fields  its  weltering  avalanche, — amidst  jangling  bells  and  toppling  houses, 
through  the  rocky  jaws  of  the  yawning  earth,  a shuddering  shrieking  city 
drops  down  and  disappears  ; and  as  he  speeds  to  his  own  cottage,  a spirt  of 
blood  through  the  collapsing  crevice,  a dove  fluttering  over  the  spot 
where  her  brood  was  this  Instant  swallowed  up,  are  all  to  show  that  here 
the  previous  moment  his  roof-tree  stood  : — Like  such  an  earthquake  at 
summer’s  prime, — like  a flash  of  lightning  from  an  azure  firmament, — came 
the  Patriarch’s  calamities. 

It  was  one  of  those  family  festivals,  and  the  banquet  was  given  in  the 
elder  brother’s  house.  The  father  himself  had  not  gone  to  it,  but  he  was 
looking  forward  to  the  morrow  when  he  would  meet  his  children  at  the 
•stated  hour  of  worship.  But  being  the  busy  season  of  spring,  his  oversight 
and  orders  were  probably  wanted  in  the  field  ; and  as  the  good  man  was 
going  about  his  avocations,  in  the  sober  certainty  of  happiness,  and  amidst 


XXIV 


THE  PATRIARCH 


the  sweet  promise  of  the  opening  year,  he  espied  sundry  persons  posting 
towards  him.  With  torn  and  blood-stained  garments  the  first  shouted, — 
“ The  Sabeans  I They  have  swept  off  the  oxen  and  asses,  and  murdered  all 
the  men.”  The  second  exclaimed, — “ Fire  from  heaven  ! It  has  burned 
up  the  sheep  and  the  shepherds.”  And  the  third, — “ The  Chaldees  ! 
They  have  carried  off  the  camels  and  slaughtered  their  conductors.”  But 
before  the  startled  chieftain  had  time  to  realise  himself  a beggar,  the  fouith 
messenger  burst  in  with  the  wild  announcement, — “ A wind  from  the 
wilderness ! It  has  overthrown  the  house,  and  crushed  your  sons  and 

daughters  in  the  ruins.”  The  cup  was  full.  The  father’s  heart  was 

bi'oken,  but  the  faith  of  the  believer  did  not  falter.  With  torn  mantle  he 
sank  to  the  ground  and  bowed  his  head  : “ Naked  came  I out  of  my 

mother’s  womb,  and  naked  shall  I return  thither.  The  Lord  gave,  and 

the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ; blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.” 

And  never,  from  merely  human  lips,  did  there  pass  a sublimer  burst  of 
sorrow.  Even  that  purely  imaginary  apostrophe  which  the  poet  puts  into 
the  lips  of  “ the  last  man,”  is  not  a grander  act  of  devotion  : — 

“ Go,  Sun,  while  mercy  holds  me  up 
On  Nature’s  awful  waste, 

To  drink  this  last  and  bitter  cup 
Of  grief  that  man  shall  taste. 

Go,  tell  the  night  that  hides  thy  face, 

Thou  saw’st  the  last  of  Adam’s  race. 

On  earth’s  sepulchral  clod. 

The  darkening  universe  defy 
To  quench  his  Immortality, 

Or  shake  his  trust  In  God  ! ” * 

For  to  Job  the  surrounding  scene  was  tantamount.  To  him  the  land  of 
Uz  was  now  one  vast  “ sepulchral  clod,”  and  the  bright  and  blessed  scene 
which  had  been  so  awfully  engulfed  was  all  his  world,  of  which  he  was  now 
virtually  “ the  last  man.”  But  Instead  of  this  great  catastrophe  swallowing- 
up  the  current  of  his  piety,  it  only  sent  the  pent-up  waters  back  into  the 

* Cafnphcll. 


AND  THE  POEM. 


XXV 


past  to  accumulate  till  the  momentary  barrier  burst ; and  gratitude  for  by- 
gone blessings  supplied  resignation  for  present  woe  : — 

“ Tho’  now  He  frowns,  I’ll  praise  th’  Almighty’s  name, 

And  bless  the  spring  whence  past  enjoyments  came.”* 

A submission  that  has  never  been  surpassed  except  in  the  instance  of  that 
great  Sufferer,  who,  in  the  foresight  of  anguish  unutterable,  but  still 
avoidable,  went  forward  praying, — “ Father,  not  my  will  but  thine  be  done 
a submission  which,  unknown  to  himself,  the  Patriarch  had  derived  from 
the  secret  help  of  that  ever-victorious  second  Adam  ; a submission  at 
which  Satan  was  confounded,  the  Eternal  was  glorified,  and  the  sons  of 
God  shouted  for  joy. 

Here,  as  in  the  case  of  a greater  object  of  his  malignity,  it  is  likely 
that  “ the  devil  left  him  for  a season.”  The  triumph  of  Divine  grace  and 
the  confusion  of  the  Adversary  were  complete  ; for  “ in  all  this  Job  sinned 
not,  nor  uttered  folly  against  God.”  And  it  is  probable  that  weeks  or 
months  passed  on  before  the  next  assault.  If  so,  it  made  the  trial  all  the 
greater.  It  gave  him  time  to  realize  his  loss  in  all  its  fearful  magnitude, 
and  to  taste  each  bitter  in  his  cup  in  all  its  keenness.  The  first  stroke  of  trial 
is  like  the  fresh  wound  in  battle.  It  may  be  ghastly  ; it  may  be  deadly  ; but 
in  the  surprise  or  stupor  of  the  moment  its  sharpness  is  not  felt.  In  the 
succeeding  days  Job  had  time  to  view  his  loss  in  all  its  length  and  breadth, 
and  slowly  sip  his  dreadful  draught  of  misery.  He  had  time  to  feel  the 
pains  of  poverty  ; and  to  the  sumptuous  proprietor  it  was  a distressing  con- 
trast from  affluence  to  indigence  : from  obsequious  service  and  “ troops  of 
friends”  to  solitude,  or  perhaps  the  haughty  attendance  of  a patronizing 
menial.  And  from  the  might  of  opulence  which  said  and  it  was  done,  and 
which  took  no  thought  for  the  morrow, — it  was  a mortifying  downcome  to 
the  petty  savings  and  painful  solicitudes  of  threadbare  nobility.  And  he 
had  time  to  realize  the  sorrows  of  bereavement.  He  had  time  to  count 
over  that  wealth  of  endearment  and  charming  promise  which  the  grave  had 

* Black  more. 


n 


XXVI 


THE  PATRIARCH 


swallowed  up  in  one  ruthless  moment ; and  as  the  fleet  footsteps  of  one  son, 
and  the  unerring  bow  of  another, — as  the  tuneful  voice  of  one  daughter, 
and  the  bright  glance  of  a second,  and  the  gentle  goodness  of  the  third 
came  back  on  his  memory, — with  the  gauge  of  past  happiness  he  was  able 
to  measure  his  present  desolation.  And  yet,  although  nothing  was  left  except 
bodily  health,  and  the  society  of  his  heart-stricken  partner, — in  all  the  lone- 
liness and  leisure  of  that  dreaiy  interval,  the  Patriarch’s  spirits  might  grow 
less,  but  his  devotion  did  not  alter.  ‘ To  the  bosom  of  mother  earth  I shall 
return  as  rich  as  I came.  I commenced  life  a little  pauper,  and  the  Lord 
took  me  up,  and  made  me  a prince  ; and  if  he  is  now  pleased  to  leave  me  a 
poor  man  again, — blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.’ 

But  a sharper  trial  was  yet  in  store.  Appalling  as  had  been  the 
sufferer’s  calamities,  his  person  was  still  intact,  and  faith  and  patience  found 
a fulcrum  in  the  unbroken  vigour  of  his  frame.  That  last  prop  was  now 
to  be  withdrawn.  Permitted  by  God,  the  cruel  Adversary  now  put  forth 
his  hand  and  smote  Job  with  a hideous  malady.  His  limbs  swelled,  his 
skin  broke  out  in  grievous  boils,  and,  whilst  horrid  visions  scared  the  night, 
the  day  was  drowned  in  despondency.  Crawling  away  to  the  obscurest 
spot  he  could  find,  he  “ sat  down  among  the  ashes.”  Here  his  wife  found 
him  ; but  she  could  not  bear  the  sight.  His  other  woes  she  had  shared, 
and  in  mingling  tears  the  two  had  been  a mutual  consolation.  But  to  see 
that  once  noble  form  reduced  to  a living  sepulchre,  writhing  with  pain,  and 
festering  with  repulsive  misery, — it  was  a shock  which  she  could  not  stand, 
and,  sapped  as  it  had  been  by  woes  after  woes,  her  faith  now  utterly  suc- 
cumbed, and,  along  with  faith,  it  almost  seems  as  if  reason  had  been  swept 
away.  “ Curse  God,  and  die  ! ” was  her  blasphemous  exclamation.  To 
her  tortured  feelings  it  looked  as  if  God  had  become  their  enemy,  and,  now 
that  life  was  so  loathsome,  she  would  provoke  the  thunderbolt  as  the 
quickest  means  of  annihilation.  But  though  eveiything  was  gone, — sub- 
stance, children,  health,  and  home,  and  now  at  last  the  support  of  a pious 
partner — the  Patriarch  still  retained  his  reason  and  his  trust  in  God.  To 
his  distracted  wife  he  said, — “ Thou  speakest  as  one  of  the  foolish  women 


AND  THE  POEM. 


XXVll 


speaketh.  What  ? shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we 
not  receive  evil  ?” 

Daring  this  interval,  the  tidings  of  what  had  happened  in  the  land  of 
Uz  had  spread  over  the  neighbouring  regions,  Teman  and  Naamah,  and  the 
country  of  the  Shuhites,  and  three  of  Job’s  friends  “made  an  appointment” 
to  go  together  and  try  what  they  could  do  to  comfort  him.  But  at  the 
first  sight  of  his  peerless  misery,  they  were  utterly  appalled.  Disfigured  by 
disease,  and  despoiled  of  all  his  grandeur,  they  did  not  instantly  recognise 
him,  and  when  they  found  that  in  very  deed  this  bloated  lazar  on  the  dust- 
heap  was  their  old  friend  whom  they  had  so  often  seen  radiant  with  happi- 
ness, and  moving  in  the  midst  of  his  magnificence,  they  could  only  give 
vent  to  their  feelings  in  a paroxysm  of  tears.  “ They  lifted  up  their  voice, 
and  wept.”  And  then,  rending  their  garments  as  a token  of  mourning, 
they  took  their  places  in  silent  sympathy  beside  the  sufferer. 

A week  transpired  before  a word  was  spoken.  Of  the  condoling 
visitors  none  had  courage  to  commence,  for  none  felt  that  he  had  any  pre- 
scription equal  to  this  mighty  sorrow.  Day  after  day  they  resumed  their 
place  listening  to  the  groans  of  their  stricken  friend,  and  musing  on  a revolu- 
tion which  stumbled  their  faith  in  Job,  if  it  did  not  peqJex  their  piety. 
At  last,  on  the  seventh  day,  a passionate  outburst  of  the  poor  invalid  broke 
the  silence, — “ Perish  the  day  in  which  I was  born,  and  the  night  in  which 
it  was  said.  There  is  a man-child  conceived  ! ” But  this  bitter  denunciation 
drew  forth  no  echo.  It  rather  confirmed  a suspicion  which  had  been 
simultaneously  arising  in  the  minds  of  all  the  three,  and  deepened  their 
conviction  that  Job  was  not  so  good  a man  as  they  had  once  supposed. 
And,  taking  the  initiative,  Eliphaz,  the  oldest  and  ablest  of  the  party, 
endeavoured  to  rouse  the  conscience  of  his  friend.  On  the  principle, 
“Who  ever  perished  being  innocent?”  he  hinted  that  there  must  be  some 
crime,  known  only  to  himself,  which  had  brought  on  him  this  awful  visitation, 
and,  with  evident  kindness,  although  on  this  erroneous  assumption,  he  urged 
the  sufferer  to  repent,  and  so  profit  by  the  chastisement.  But  Job’s  con- 
science was  void  of  offence.  In  all  his  history  he  knew  that  there  was  no 


xxviii  THE  PATRIARCH 


such  crime  as  that  to  which  Eliphaz  pointed.  He  felt  that,  tried  by 
man’s  standard,  he  had  done  no  more  to  merit  his  misery  than  his  sleek  and 
comfortable  companions,  who  had  left  their  goods  in  peace ; and  to  him  such 
insinuations  were  as  irritating,  as  to  them  was  Job’s  denunciation  of  his 
destiny.  Accordingly  the  controversy  commenced.  In  eight  orations,  if 
not  nine,  Eliphaz,  Bildad,  and  Zophar  endeavoured  to  convict  Job  of  some 
secret  fault  or  great  transgression  ; whilst,  as  a man  amongst  his  fellow-men. 
Job  held  fast  his  integrity,  and  would  not  let  it  go.  In  this  he  was  trium- 
phant. His  visitors  at  last  were  silenced,  and,  as  far  as  concerns  vindica- 
tion at  a human  tribunal.  Job  was  victor.  But  just  at  this  stage  a new 
speaker  sti'uck  in.  A young  man  named  Elihu,  who  had  listened  to  the 
whole  debate,  now  that  his  seniors  had  ceased,  begged  a hearing.  On  the 
one  hand  he  felt  that  Job’s  visitors  had  been  harsh,  and  that  it  was  unfair 
to  keep  constantly  urging  against  their  afflicted  friend  the  charge  of  hypocrisy 
and  pi'odigious  wickedness ; but  he  also  thought  that  the  eagerness  of  Job’s 
self-assertion  amounted  to  an  impeachment  of  the  Almighty.  In  his  long 
and  fervid  interpellation,  he  thei'efoi'e  sought  to  lift  Job’s  thoughts  from  his 
fellow-men  to  his  Maker,  whose  eye  is  so  pure  as  to  see  sin  whei'e  man  does 
not  see  it,  but  whose  heart  is  so  kind  that  he  afflicts  only  for  the  suffei'er’s 
profit.  But  whilst  Elihu  is  yet  descanting,  a tornado  is  seen  to  gather. 
Amidst  the  swoop  of  the  lightning  and  the  roll  of  the  thunder,  the  audience 
cannot  listen,  the  speaker  is  unable  to  proceed.  The  Loi'd  himself  is  at 
hand,  and  with  a blaze  of  his  excellent  glory  he  brings  to  the  dust  the  various 
disputants  ; with  a ci'ash  of  articulate  omnipotence  he  concludes  the  contro- 
versy. And  then,  when  every  mouth  is  stopped, — when  the  sturdy  self- 
asseitor  “ repents  in  dust  and  ashes,”  and  when  the  measurers  of  Infinite 
Wisdom  are  made  to  feel  their  minuteness, — we  are  allowed  to  see  “ the 
end  of  the  Lord  ; that  he  is  very  pitiful,”^'  and  whilst  we  rejoice  with  the 
Patriarch  in  his  brimming  cup  and  redoubled  blessings,  we  revert  with  satis- 
faction to  the  defeat  of  the  Adversary  and  the  exultation  of  the  sons  of 
God. 

* James  V.  11. — The  key  to  the  book,  which  inspiration  itself  has  supplied. 


AND  THE  POEM. 


XXIX 


This  last  element  is  too  much  forgotten  by  the  readers  and  expounders 
of  the  book.  So  to  speak,  Job’s  history  is  a drama  enacted  under  the  eye 
of  angel  spectators.  I’hey  are  present  at  the  beginning  ; we  are  reminded 
of  them  towards  the  close  (xxxviii.  7);  they  are  doubtless  ministering 
spirits  joyfully  interposing  at  the  end.  In  the  endurance  of  Job  they  learn 
a great  lesson.  They  see  the  impotence  of  Satan  against  a saint  of  God. 
They  see  that  the  great  dragon  who  overturned  the  tall  cedars  of  Eden, 
cannot  pluck  up  a shaking  reed  in  Christ’s  garden.  They  see  that  as  long 
as  the  Mediator  lives  in  his  members,  it  will  be  impossible  to  torture  a Job 
out  of  his  allegiance,  or  madden  a believer  into  blasphemy.  And  whilst 
they  are  confirmed  in  their  own  loyalty,  they  are  comforted  by  this  example 
of  triumphant  constancy.  Job  is  “seen  of  angels  and  in  the  stedfastness 
which  neither  diabolical  cruelty,  nor  wifely  urgency,  nor  the  exasperating 
misconstmctions  of  friends,  can  move  to  “ curse  God,”  are  made  known  to 
“principalities  and  powers  in  heavenly  places”  the  manifold  riches  of 
upholding  and  preserving  grace. 

On  the  other  hand,  whilst  this  consideration  adds  solemnity  and  impor- 
tance to  the  denouement,  it  gives  a new  significance  to  the  dialogue.  Each 
party  has  its  own  hypothesis.  A silent,  but  most  active  personage,  Satan, 
seeks  to  render  Job  suspected  by  his  friends  ; whilst  in  Job’s  mind  he  tries 
to  awaken  dark  thoughts  of  Jehovah  ; his  main  object  being  all  along  to 
extort  the  wicked  word,  and  wring  from  the  writhing  victim  a curse  against 
his  Maker.  But  neither  Job,  nor  his  three  friends,  nor  Elihu  allows  him- 
self to  entertain  hard  thoughts  of  the  Most  High.  The  three  friends  have 
their  own  theory.  They  hold  that  suffering  is  always  penal  ; wherever  the 
bolt  descends,  guilt  is  the  attraction.  Elihu  holds  that  pain  is  purgatorial, 
— intended  to  reveal  secret  faults,  and  restore  to  the  paths  of  righteousness  ; 
wherever  there  is  gold  to  purify,  there  must  be  a refiner  and  a furnace. 
And  both  these  theories, — the  'vindictive  or  retrihutionary  theory  of  the 
friends,  and  the  corrective  or  disciplinary  theory  of  Elihu, — have  a certain 
amount  of  truth,  but  neither  is  exhaustive,  and  both  are  dangerous  in  their 
personal  application.  Even  Elihu  did  imperfect  justice  to  the  Patriarch,  and 


XXX 


THE  PATRIARCH  AND  THE  POEM. 


it  was  only  when  He  Himself  appeared  as  his  own  vindicator,  that  justice  was 
done  to  the  cause  of  Jehovah.  Tt  was  only  then  that  it  fully  appeared  how, 
in  accounting  for  the  proceedings  of  a Sovereign  whose  dominions  are 
Immensity,  any  explanation  must  be  inadequate  which  confines  its  regard 
to  one  creature  or  one  race  ; and  that,  in  every  case  of  suffering,  there  is  a 
mystei*y  whose  full  solution  belongs  to  the  secret  things  of  the  Eternal. 
And,  having  given  this  deliverance,  the  veil  is  for  a moment  lifted,  and  in 
Satan’s  discomfiture,  and  Job’s  redoubled  happiness,  we  are  allowed  a 
glimpse  of  the  “ end  of  the  Lord”  in  the  Patriarch’s  afflictions. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB 


INTRODUCTION 


There  was  a man  in  the  land  of  Uz,  whose  name  was  Job  ; and 
that  man  was  perfect  and  upright,  and  one  that  feared  God,  and 
eschewed  evil.  And  there  were  born  unto  him  seven  sons  and 
three  daughters.  His  substance  also  was  seven  thousand  sheep, 
and  three  thousand  camels,  and  five  hundred  yoke  of  oxen,  and 


c 


10 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


five  hundred  she  asses,  and  a very  great  household  ; so  that  this 
man  was  the  greatest  of  all  the  men  of  the  east. 

And  his  sons  went  and  feasted  in  their  houses,  every  one  his 
day  ; and  sent  and  called  for  their  three  sisters  to  eat  and  to  drink 


with  them.  And  it  was  so,  when  the  days  of  their  feasting  were 
gone  about,  that  Job  sent  and  sanctified  them,  and  rose  up  early  in 
the  morning,  and  offered  burnt  offerings  according  to  the  number  of 
them  all : for  Job  said,  It  may  be  that  my  sons  have  sinned,  and 
cursed  God  in  their  hearts.  Thus  did  Job  continually. 

Now  there  was  a day  when  the  sons  of  God  came  to  present 
themselves  before  the  Lord,  and  Satan  came  also  among  them. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  Whence  contest  thou  ? Then 
Satan  answered  the  Lord,  and  said.  From  going  to  and  fro  in  the 
earth,  and  from  walking  up  and  down  in  it.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  Satan,  Flast  thou  considered  my  servant  Job,  that  there  is  none 
like  him  in  the  earth,  a perfect  and  an  upright  man,  one  that  feareth 
God,  and  escheweth  evil  ? Then  Satan  answered  the  Lord,  and 
said.  Doth  Job  fear  God  for  nought  ^ Hast  not  thou  made  an 
hedge  about  him,  and  about  his  house,  and  about  all  that  he  hath 
on  every  side  ? thou  hast  blessed  the  work  of  his  hands,  and  his 
substance  is  increased  in  the  land.  But  put  forth  thine  hand  now, 
and  touch  all  that  he  hath,  and  he  will  curse  thee  to  thy  face. 
And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  Behold,  all  that  he  hath  is  in  thy 
power  ; only  upon  himself  put  not  forth  thine  hand.  So  Satan 
went  forth  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

And  there  was  a day  when  his  sons  and  his  daughters  were 


i 

i 


! 

i 


k 


12 


7'HE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


eating  and  drinking  wine  in  their  eldest  brother’s  house  : and  there 
came  a messenger  unto  Job,  and  said,  The  oxen  were  plowing,  and 
the  asses  feeding  beside  them  : and  the  Sabeans  fell  upon  them,  and 
took  them  away  •,  yea,  they  have  slain  the  servants  with  the  edge 
of  the  sword  ; and  I only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee.  While 
he  was  yet  speaking,  there  came  also  another,  and  said.  The  fire  of 
God  is  fallen  from  heaven,  and  hath  burned  up  the  sheep,  and  the 
servants,  and  consumed  them  ; and  I only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell 
thee.  While  he  was  yet  speaking,  there  came  also  another,  and 
said.  The  Chaldeans  made  out  three  bands,  and  fell  upon  the  camels, 
and  have  carried  them  away,  yea,  and  slain  the  servants  with  the 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


13 


edge  of  the  sword  ; and  I only  am  escaped  alone  to  tell  thee. 
While  he  was  yet  speaking,  there  came  also  another,  and  said.  Thy 
sons  and  thy  daughters  were  eating  and  drinking  wine  in  their 
eldest  brother’s  house  : and,  behold,  there  came  a great  wind  from 
the  wilderness,  and  smote  the  four  corners  of  the  house,  and  it  fell 
upon  the  young  men,  and  they  are  dead  j and  I only  am  escaped 
alone  to  tell  thee. 

Then  Job  arose,  and  rent  his  mantle,  and  shaved  his  head,  and 
fell  down  upon  the  ground,  and  worshipped,  and  said.  Naked  came 
I out  of  my  mother’s  womb,  and  naked  shall  I return  thither  : the 
Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away  ; blessed  be  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  In  all  this  Job  sinned  not,  nor  charged  God 
foolishly. 

Again  there  was  a day  when  the  sons  of  God  came  to  present 
themselves  before  the  Lord,  and  Satan  came  also  among  them  to 


14 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


present  himself  before  the  I.ord.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan, 
From  whence  comest  thou  ? And  Satan  answered  the  Lord,  and 
said.  From  going  to  and  fro  in  the  earth,  and  from  walking  up  and 
down  in  it.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  Hast  thou  considered 
my  servant  Job,  that  there  is  none  like  him  in  the  earth,  a perfect 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


15 


and  an  upright  man,  one  that  feareth  God,  and  escheweth  evil  ? 
and  still  he  holdeth  fast  his  integrity,  although  thou  movedst  me 
against  him,  to  destroy  him  without  cause.  And  Satan  answered 
the  Lord,  and  said.  Skin  for  skin,  yea,  all  that  a man  hath  will  he 
give  for  his  life.  But  put  forth  thine  hand  now,  and  touch  his  bone 
and  his  flesh,  and  he  will  curse  thee  to  thy  face.  And  the  Lord 
said  unto  Satan,  Behold,  he  is  in  thine  hand  ; but  save  his  life. 


1 


6 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


So  went  Satan  forth  from  the  presence  ot  the  Lord,  and  smote 
Job  with  sore  boils  from  the  sole  of  his  foot  unto  his  crown. 
And  he  took  him  a potsherd  to  scrape  himself  withal;  and  he  sat 
down  among  the  ashes. 

Then  said  his  wife  unto  him,  Dost  thou  still  retain  thine  inte- 
grity ? curse  God,  and  die.  But  he  said  unto  her,  Thou  speakest 
as  one  of  the  foolish  women  speaketh.  What shall  we  receive 
good  at  the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we  not  receive  evil In  all 
this  did  not  Job  sin  with  his  lips. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


17 


Now  when  Job’s  three  friends  heard  of  all  this  evil  that  was 
come  upon  him,  they  came  every  one  from  his  own  place ; Eliphaz 
the  Temanite,  and  Bildad  the  Shuhite,  and  Zophar  the  Naamathite  : 
for  they  had  made  an  appointment  together  to  come  to  mourn  with 
him  and  to  comfort  him.  And  when  they  lifted  up  their  eyes  afar 
off,  and  knew  him  not,  they  lifted  up  their  voice,  and  wept ; and 
they  rent  every  one  his  mantle,  and  sprinkled  dust  upon  their  heads 
toward  heaven.  So  they  sat  down  with  him  upon  the  ground 
seven  days  and  seven  nights,  and  none  spake  a word  unto  him  : for 
they  saw  that  his  grief  was  very  great. 


PART  I. 

THE  CONTROVERSY 


FIRST  SERIES 


After  this  opened  Job  his  mouth,  and  cursed  his  day.  And  Job 
spake,  and  said. 

Let  the  day  perish  wherein  I was  born. 

And  the  night  in  which  it  was  said.  There  is  a 
man  child  conceived. 


22 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Let  that  day  be  darkness  ; 

Let  not  God  regard  it  from  above, 

Neither  let  the  light  shine  upon  it. 

Let  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death  stain  it ; 

Let  a cloud  dwell  upon  it ; 

Let  the  blackness  of  the  day  terrify  it. 

As  for  that  night,  let  darkness  seize  upon  it ; 

Let  it  not  be  joined  unto  the  days  of  the  year, 

Let  it  not  come  into  the  number  of  the  months. 

Lo,  let  that  night  be  solitary. 

Let  no  joyful  voice  come  therein. 

Let  them  curse  it  that  curse  the  day. 

Who  are  ready  to  raise  up  their  mourning. 

Let  the  stars  of  the  twilight  thereof  be  dark  ; 

Let  it  look  for  light,  but  have  none; 

Neither  let  it  see  the  dawning  of  the  day  : 

Because  it  shut  not  up  the  doors  of  my  mother’s  womb, 

Nor  hid  sorrow  from  mine  eyes. 

Why  died  I not  from  the  womb  ? 

Why  did  I not  give  up  the  ghost  when  I came  out  of  the  belly? 
Why  did  the  knees  prevent  me  ? 

Or  why  the  breasts  that  I should  suck  ? 

For  now  should  I have  lain  still  and  been  quiet, 

I should  have  slept : then  had  I been  at  rest. 

With  kings  and  counsellors  of  the  earth. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


23 


Which  built  desolate  places  for  themselves  ; 

Or  with  princes  that  had  gold, 

Who  filled  their  houses  with  silver  : 

Or  as  an  hidden  untimely  birth  I had  not  been  ; 
As  infants  which  never  saw  light. 

There  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling ; 


24 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  there  the  weary  be  at  rest. 

There  the  prisoners  rest  together ; 

They  hear  not  the  voice  of  the  oppressor. 

The  small  and  great  are  there  ; 

And  the  servant  is  free  from  his  master. 

Wherefore  is  light  given  to  him  that  is  in  misery, 

And  life  unto  the  bitter  in  soul ; 

Which  long  for  death,  but  it  cometh  not ; 

And  dig  for  it  more  than  for  hid  treasures  ; 

Which  rejoice  exceedingly. 

And  are  glad,  when  they  can  find  the  grave  ^ 

Why  is  light  given  to  a man  whose  way  is  hid. 

And  whom  God  hath  hedged  in  ? 

For  my  sighing  cometh  before  I eat. 

And  my  roarings  are  poured  out  like  the  waters. 

For  the  thing  which  1 greatly  feared  is  come  upon  me, 

And  that  which  I was  afraid  of  is  come  unto  me. 

I was  not  in  safety,  neither  had  I rest,  neither  was  I quiet  •, 
Yet  trouble  came. 

Then  ELIPHAZ  the  Temanite  answered  and  said. 

If  we  assay  to  commune  with  thee,  wilt  thou  be  grieved  ? 
But  who  can  withhold  himself  from  speaking  ? 

Behold,  thou  hast  instructed  many. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


25 


And  thou  hast  strengthened  the  weak  hands. 

Thy  words  have  upholden  him  that  was  falling, 

And  thou  hast  strengthened  the  feeble  knees. 

But  now  it  is  come  upon  thee,  and  thou  faintest ; 

It  toucheth  thee,  and  thou  art  troubled. 

Is  not  this  thy  fear,  thy  confidence, 

Thy  hope,  and  the  uprightness  of  thy  ways  ? 

Remember,  I pray  thee,  who  ever  perished,  being  innocent  ? 
Or  where  were  the  righteous  cut  off? 

Even  as  I have  seen,  they  that  plow  iniquity, 

And  sow  wickedness,  reap  the  same. 


j'l 


26 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


By  the  blast  of  God  they  perish, 

And  by  the  breath  of  his  nostrils  are  they  consumed. 
The  roaring  of  the  lion,  and  the  voice  of  the  fierce  lion. 
And  the  teeth  of  the  young  lions,  are  broken. 

The  old  lion  perisheth  for  lack  of  prey. 

And  the  stout  lion’s  whelps  are  scattered  abroad. 

Now  a thing  was  secretly  brought  to  me, 

And  mine  ear  received  a little  thereof. 

In  thoughts  from  the  visions  of  the  night. 

When  deep  sleep  falleth  on  men. 

Fear  came  upon  me,  and  trembling. 

Which  made  all  my  bones  to  shake. 

Then  a spirit  passed  before  my  face ; 

The  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up  : 

It  stood  still,  but  I could  not  discern  the  form  thereof  : 
An  image  was  before  mine  eyes. 

There  was  silence,  and  I heard  a voice,  saying. 

Shall  mortal  man  be  more  just  than  God  ? 

Shall  a man  be  more  pure  than  his  Maker  ? 

Behold,  he  put  no  trust  in  his  servants  ; 

And  his  angels  he  charged  with  folly  : 

How  much  less  in  them  that  dwell  in  houses  of  clay. 
Whose  foundation  is  in  the  dust. 

Which  are  crushed  before  the  moth  ? 

They  are  destroyed  from  morning  to  evening  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


27 


They  perish  for  ever  without  any  regarding  it. 

Doth  not  their  excellency  which  is  in  them  go  away  ? 
They  die,  even  without  wisdom. 


8 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Call  now,  if  there  be  any  that  will  answer  thee ; 
And  to  which  of  the  saints  wilt  thou  turn  ^ 

For  wrath  killeth  the  foolish  man, 

And  envy  slayeth  the  silly  one. 

I have  seen  the  foolish  taking  root : 

But  suddenly  I cursed  his  habitation. 

His  children  are  far  from  safety. 

And  they  are  crushed  in  the  gate, 

Neither  is  there  any  to  deliver  them. 

Whose  harvest  the  hungry  eateth  up. 

And  taketh  it  even  out  of  the  thorns. 

And  the  robber  swalloweth  up  their  substance. 
Although  affliction  cometh  not  forth  of  the  dust. 
Neither  doth  trouble  spring  out  of  the  ground  ; 

Yet  man  is  born  unto  trouble. 

As  the  sparks  fly  upward. 

I would  seek  unto  God, 

And  unto  God  would  I commit  my  cause  : 

Which  doeth  great  things  and  unsearchable ; 
Marvellous  things  without  number  : 

Who  giveth  rain  upon  the  earth. 

And  sendeth  waters  upon  the  fields  : 

To  set  up  on  high  those  that  be  low  ; 

That  those  which  mourn  may  be  exalted  to  safety. 
He  disappointeth  the  devices  of  the  crafty. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


29 


So  that  their  hands  cannot  perform  their  enterprise. 

He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  craftiness  : 

And  the  counsel  of  the  froward  is  carried  headlong. 

They  meet  with  darkness  in  the  day-time, 

And  grope  in  the  noon-day  as  in  the  night. 

But  he  saveth  the  poor  from  the  sword, 

From  their  mouth,  and  from  the  hand  of  the  mighty. 

So  the  poor  hath  hope. 

And  iniquity  stoppeth  her  mouth. 

Behold,  happy  is  the  man  whom  God  correcteth  : 
Therefore  despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the  Almighty  : 
For  he  maketh  sore,  and  bindeth  up  : 

He  woundeth,  and  his  hands  make  whole. 

He  shall  deliver  thee  in  six  troubles  : 

Yea,  in  seven  there  shall  no  evil  touch  thee. 

In  famine  he  shall  redeem  thee  from  death  : 

And  in  war  from  the  power  of  the  sword. 

Thou  shalt  be  hid  from  the  scourge  of  the  tongue  : 

Neither  shalt  thou  be  afraid  of  destruction  when  it  cometh. 
At  destruction  and  famine  thou  shalt  laugh  : 

Neither  shalt  thou  be  afraid  of  the  beasts  of  the  earth. 

For  thou  shalt  be  in  league  with  the  stones  of  the  field  : 
And  the  beasts  of  the  field  shall  be  at  peace  with  thee. 

And  thou  shalt  know  that  thy  tabernacle  shall  be  in  peace ; 
And  thou  shalt  visit  thy  habitation,  and  shalt  not  sin. 


30 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Thou  shalt  know  also  that  thy  seed  shall  be  great, 
And  thine  offspring  as  the  grass  of  the  earth. 

Thou  shalt  come  to  thy  grave  in  a full  age, 

Like  as  a shock  of  corn  cometh  in  in  his  season. 
Lo  this,  we  have  searched  it,  so  it  is  ; 

Hear  it,  and  know  thou  it  for  thy  good. 


But  job  answered  and  said, 

Oh  that  my  grief  were  thoroughly  weighed, 

And  my  calamity  laid  in  the  balances  together  ! 

For  now  it  would  be  heavier  than  the  sand  of  the  sea  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Therefore  my  words  are  swallowed  up. 

For  the  arrows  of  the  Almighty  are  within  me, 

The  poison  whereof  drinketh  up  my  spirit : 

The  terrors  of  God  do  set  themselves  in  array 
against  me. 

Doth  the  wild  ass  bray  when  he  hath  grass  ? 

Or  loweth  the  ox  over  his  fodder  ? 

Can  that  which  is  unsavoury  be  eaten  without  salt  ^ 

Or  is  there  any  taste  in  the  white  of  an  egg  ? 

The  things  that  my  soul  refused  to  touch 
Are  as  my  sorrowful  meat. 

Oh  that  I might  have  my  request ; 

And  that  God  would  grant  me  the  thing  that  I long  for 
Even  that  it  would  please  God  to  destroy  me ; 

That  he  would  let  loose  his  hand,  and  cut  me  off! 

Then  should  I yet  have  comfort ; 

Yea,  I would  harden  myself  in  sorrow  : let  him 
not  spare ; 

For  I have  not  concealed  the  words  of  the  Holy  One. 
What  is  my  strength,  that  I should  hope  ^ 

And  what  is  mine  end,  that  I should  prolong  my  life  ? 

Is  my  strength  the  strength  of  stones  ? 

Or  is  my  flesh  of  brass  ? 

Is  not  my  help  in  me  ? 

And  is  wisdom  driven  cjuite  from  me  ? 


32 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


To  him  that  is  afflicted  pity  should  be  showed  from  his  friend; 
But  he  forsaketh  the  fear  of  the  Almighty. 

My  brethren  have  dealt  deceitfully  as  a brook, 


And  as  the  stream  of  brooks  they  pass  away  ; 

Which  are  blackish  by  reason  of  the  ice, 

And  wherein  the  snow  is  hid  : 

What  time  they  wax  warm,  they  vanish  : 

When  it  is  hot,  they  are  consumed  out  of  their  place. 
The  paths  of  their  way  are  turned  aside ; 

'They  go  to  nothing,  and  perish. 

The  troops  of  Tema  looked. 

The  companies  of  Sheba  waited  for  them. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB 


33 


They  were  confounded  because  they  had  hoped  ; 

They  came  thither,  and  were  ashamed. 

For  now  ye  are  nothing ; 

Ye  see  my  casting  down,  and  are  afraid. 

Did  I say,  Bring  unto  me  ? 

Or,  Give  a reward  for  me  of  your  substance  ? 

Or,  Deliver  me  from  the  enemy’s  hand  ? 

Or,  Redeem  me  from  the  hand  of  the  mighty  ? 

Teach  me,  and  I will  hold  my  tongue  ; 

And  cause  me  to  understand  wherein  I have  erred. 

How  forcible  are  right  words  I 
But  what  doth  your  arguing  reprove  ? 

Do  ye  imagine  to  reprove  words. 

And  the  speeches  of  one  that  is  desperate,  which  are  as  wind  ? 
Yea,  ye  overwhelm  the  fatherless. 

And  ye  dig  a pit  for  your  friend. 

Now  therefore  be  content,  look  upon  me  ; 

For  it  is  evident  unto  you  if  I lie. 

Return,  I pray  you,  let  it  not  be  iniquity  ; 

Yea,  return  again,  my  righteousness  is  in  it. 

Is  there  iniquity  in  my  tongue  ? 

Cannot  my  taste  discern  perverse  things  ? 

Is  there  not  an  appointed  time  to  man  upon  earth  ? 

Are  not  his  days  also  like  the  days  of  an  hireling  ? 


¥ 


34 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


As  a servant  earnestly  desireth  the  shadow, 

And  as  an  hireling  looketh  for  the  reward  of  his  work : 

So  am  I made  to  possess  months  of  vanity, 

And  wearisome  nights  are  appointed  to  me. 

When  I lie  down,  I say. 

When  shall  I arise,  and  the  night  be  gone  ? 

And  I am  full  of  tossings  to  and  fro  unto  the  dawning  of  the  day. 
My  flesh  is  clothed  with  worms  and  clods  of  dust ; 

My  skin  is  broken,  and  become  loathsome. 

My  days  are  swifter  than  a weaver’s  shuttle. 

And  are  spent  without  hope. 

O remember  that  my  life  is  wind  : 

Mine  eye  shall  no  more  see  good. 

The  eye  of  him  that  hath  seen  me  shall  see  me  no  more  : 
Thine  eyes  are  upon  me,  and  I am  not. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


35 


As  the  cloud  is  consumed  and  vanisheth  away  : 

So  he  that  goeth  down  to  the  grave  shall  come  up  no  more. 
He  shall  return  no  more  to  his  house, 

Neither  shall  his  place  know  him  any  more. 

'Therefore  I will  not  refrain  my  mouth  ; 

I will  speak  in  the  anguish  of  my  spirit ; 

I will  complain  in  the  bitterness  of  my  soul. 

Am  I a sea,  or  a whale, 

'That  thou  settest  a watch  over  me 
When  I say.  My  bed  shall  comfort  me, 

My  couch  shall  ease  my  complaint ; 

Then  thou  scarest  me  with  dreams. 

And  terrifiest  me  through  visions  : 

So  that  my  soul  chooseth  strangling. 

And  death  rather  than  my  life. 

I loathe  it ; I would  not  live  alway  : 

Let  me  alone ; for  my  days  are  vanity. 

What  is  man,  that  thou  shouldest  magnify  him  ? 

And  that  thou  shouldest  set  thine  heart  upon  him  ? 

And  that  thou  shouldest  visit  him  every  morning. 

And  try  him  every  moment  ? 

How  long  wilt  thou  not  depart  from  me. 

Nor  let  me  alone  till  I swallow  down  my  spittle 
I have  sinned  ; what  shall  I do  unto  thee,  ()  thou 
preserver  of  men  ? 


36 


I'HE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Why  hast  thou  set  me  as  a mark  against  thee^ 

So  that  I am  a burden  to  myself  ? 

And  why  dost  thou  not  pardon  my  transgression, 

And  take  away  mine  iniquity  ? 

For  now  shall  I sleep  in  the  dust  *, 

And  thou  shalt  seek  me  in  the  morning,  but  I shall  not  be. 

Then  answered  BILDAD  the  Shuhite,  and  said, 

How  long  wilt  thou  speak  these  things  ? 

And  how  long  shall  the  words  of  thy  mouth  be  like 
a strong  wind  ? 

Doth  God  pervert  judgment  ? 

Or  doth  the  Almighty  pervert  justice  ? 

If  thy  children  have  sinned  against  him, 

And  he  have  cast  them  away  for  their  transgression  ; 

If  thou  wouldest  seek  unto  God  betimes, 

And  make  thy  supplication  to  the  Almighty  ; 

If  thou  wert  pure  and  upright ; 

Surely  now  he  would  awake  for  thee, 

And  make  the  habitation  of  thy  righteousness  prosperous. 
Though  thy  beginning  was  small. 

Yet  thy  latter  end  should  greatly  increase. 

For  inquire,  I pray  thee,  of  the  former  age. 

And  prepare  thyself  to  the  search  of  their  fathers  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


37 


(For  we  are  but  of  yesterday,  and  know  nothing, 

Because  our  days  upon  earth  are  a shadow  :) 

Shall  not  they  teach  thee,  and  tell  thee, 

And  utter  words  out  of  their  heart  ? 

Can  the  rush  grow  up  without  mire  ? 

Can  the  flag  grow  without  water 

Whilst  it  is  yet  in  his  greenness,  and  not  cut  down. 

It  withereth  before  any  other  herb. 

So  are  the  paths  of  all  that  forget  God  *, 

And  the  hypocrite’s  hope  shall  perish  : 

Whose  hope  shall  be  cut  off. 

And  whose  trust  shall  be  a spider’s  web. 

He  shall  lean  upon  his  house,  but  it  shall  not  stand  ; 

He  shall  hold  it  fast,  but  it  shall  not  endure. 

He  is  green  before  the  sun. 

And  his  branch  shooteth  forth  in  his  garden. 

His  roots  are  wrapped  about  the  heap. 

And  seeth  the  place  of  stones. 

If  he  destroy  him  from  his  place. 

Then  it  shall  deny  him,  saying,  I have  not  seen  thee. 

Behold,  this  is  the  joy  of  his  way. 

And  out  of  the  earth  shall  others  grow. 

Behold,  God  will  not  cast  away  a perfect  man. 

Neither  will  he  help  the  evil  doers  : 

'Fill  he  fill  thy  mouth  with  laughing,  and  thy  lips  with  rejoicing. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


They  that  hate  thee  shall  be  clothed  with  shame ; 

And  the  dwelling  place  of  the  wicked  shall  come  to  nought. 

'Fhen  job  answered  and  said, 

I know  it  is  so  of  a truth  : 

But  how  should  man  be  just  with  God  ? 

If  he  will  contend  with  him, 

He  cannot  answer  him  one  of  a thousand. 

He  is  wise  in  heart,  and  mighty  in  strength  : 

Who  hath  hardened  himself  against  him,  and  hath  prospered 
Which  removeth  the  mountains,  and  they  know  not : 
Which  overturneth  them  in  his  anger. 

Which  shaketh  the  earth  out  of  her  place, 

And  the  pillars  thereof  tremble. 

Which  commandeth  the  sun,  and  it  riseth  not ; 

And  sealeth  up  the  stars. 

Which  alone  spreadeth  out  the  heavens. 

And  treadeth  upon  the  waves  of  the  sea. 

Which  maketh  Arcturus,  Orion,  and  Pleiades, 

And  the  chambers  of  the  south. 

Which  doeth  great  things  past  finding  out ; 

Yea,  and  wonders  without  number. 

Lo,  he  goeth  by  me,  and  I see  him  not : 

He  passeth  on  also,  but  I perceive  him  not. 

Behold,  he  taketh  away,  who  can  hinder  him  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


39 


Who  will  say  unto  him,  What  doest  thou  ^ ■ 

If  God  will  not  withdraw  his  anger, 

The  proud  helpers  do  stoop  under  him. 

How  much  less  shall  I answer  him, 

And  choose  out  my  words  to  reason  with  him  ? 

Whom,  though  I were  righteous,  yet  would  I not  answer, 
But  I would  make  supplication  to  my  judge. 

If  I had  called,  and  he  had  answered  me  ; 

Yet  would  I not  believe  that  he  had  hearkened  unto  my  voice. 
For  he  breaketh  me  with  a tempest. 

And  multiplieth  my  wounds  without  cause. 

He  will  not  suffer  me  to  take  my  breath. 

But  filleth  me  with  bitterness. 


40 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


If  I speak  of  strength,  lo,  he  is  strong  : 

And  if  of  judgment,  who  shall  set  me  a time  to  plead  ^ 
If  I justify  myself,  mine  own  mouth  shall  condemn  me  : 
If  I say,  I am  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove  me  perverse. 
Though  I were  perfect,  yet  would  I not  know  my  soul : 
I would  despise  my  life. 

This  is  one  thing,  therefore  I said  it. 

He  destroyeth  the  perfect  and  the  wicked. 

If  the  scourge  slay  suddenly. 

He  will  laugh  at  the  trial  of  the  innocent. 

The  earth  is  given  into  the  hand  of  the  wicked  : 

He  covereth  the  faces  of  the  judges  thereof ; 

If  not,  where,  and  who  is  he  ^ 

Now  my  days  are  swifter  than  a post : 

They  flee  away,  they  see  no  good. 

They  are  passed  away  as  the  swift  ships  : 

As  the  eagle  that  hasteth  to  the  prey. 

If  I say,  I will  forget  my  complaint, 

I will  leave  off  my  heaviness,  and  comfort  myself  : 

I am  afraid  of  all  my  sorrows, 

I know  that  thou  wilt  not  hold  me  innocent. 

If  I be  wicked, 

Why  then  labour  I in  vain 

If  I wash  myself  with  snow  water. 

And  make  my  hands  never  so  clean  ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


41 


Yet  shalt  thou  plunge  me  in  the  ditch, 

And  mine  own  clothes  shall  abhor  me. 

For  he  is  not  a man,  as  I am,  that  I should  answer  him,. 
And  we  should  come  together  in  judgment. 

Neither  is  there  any  daysman  betwixt  us. 

That  might  lay  his  hand  upon  us  both. 

Let  him  take  his  rod  away  from  me. 

And  let  not  his  fear  terrify  me  : 


G 


42 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Then  would  I speak,  and  not  fear  him  ; 

But  it  is  not  so  with  me. 

My  soul  is  weary  of  my  life  j 
I will  leave  my  complaint  upon  myself, 

I will  speak  in  the  bitterness  of  my  soul. 

I will  say  unto  God,  Do  not  condemn  me ; 

Show  me  wherefore  thou  contendest  with  me. 

Is  it  good  unto  thee  that  thou  shouldest  oppress. 

That  thou  shouldest  depise  the  work  of  thine  hands. 

And  shine  upon  the  counsel  of  the  wicked  ? 

Hast  thou  eyes  of  flesh  ? 

Or  seest  thou  as  man  seeth  ? 

Are  thy  days  as  the  days  of  man  ? 

Are  thy  years  as  man’s  days. 

That  thou  inquirest  after  mine  iniquity. 

And  searchest  after  my  sin  ? 

Thou  knowest  that  I am  not  wicked  ; 

And  there  is  none  that  can  deliver  out  of  thine  hand. 

Thine  hands  have  made  me  and  fashioned  me 
Together  round  about ; yet  thou  dost  destroy  me. 
Remember,  I beseech  thee,  that  thou  hast  made  me  as  the  clay  ; 
And  wilt  thou  bring  me  into  dust  again  ? 

Hast  thou  not  poured  me  out  as  milk. 

And  curdled  me  like  cheese  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


43 


Thou  hast  clothed  me  with  skin  and  liesh, 

And  hast  fenced  me  with  bones  and  sinews. 

Thou  hast  granted  me  life  and  favour, 

And  thy  visitation  hath  preserved  my  spirit. 

And  these  things  hast  thou  hid  in  thine  heart : 

I know  that  this  is  with  thee. 

If  I sin,  then  thou  markest  me. 

And  thou  wilt  not  acquit  me  from  mine  iniquity. 

If  I be  wicked,  woe  unto  me  ; 

And  if  I be  righteous,  yet  will  I not  lift  up  my  head. 

I am  full  of  confusion  *,  therefore  see  thou  mine  affliction  ; 
For  it  increaseth.  Thou  huntest  me  as  a fierce  lion  : 

And  again  thou  showest  thyself  marvellous  upon  me. 

Thou  renewest  thy  witnesses  against  me. 

And  increasest  thine  indignation  upon  me 
Changes  and  war  are  against  me. 

Wherefore  then  hast  thou  brought  me  forth  out  of 
the  womb  ^ 

0 that  I had  given  up  the  ghost,  and  no  eye  had  seen  me  ! 

1 should  have  been  as  though  I had  not  been  ; 

I should  have  been  carried  from  the  womb  to  the  grave. 
Are  not  my  days  few  ? cease  then, 

And  let  me  alone,  that  I may  take  comfort  a little, 

Before  I go  whence  I shall  not  return. 


44 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Even  to  the  land  of  darkness  and  the  shadow  of  death 
A land  of  darkness,  as  darkness  itself ; 

And  of  the  shadow  of  death,  without  any  order. 

And  where  the  light  is  as  darkness. 


Then  answered  ZOPHAR  the  Naamathite,  and  said. 

Should  not  the  multitude  of  words  be  answered  ? 
And  should  a man  full  of  talk  be  justified  ^ 

Should  thy  lies  make  men  hold  their  peace  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


45 


And  when  thou  mockest,  shall  no  man  make  thee  ashamed  ? 
For  thou  hast  said,  My  doctrine  is  pure, 

And  I am  clean  in  thine  eyes. 

But  oh  that  God  would  speak. 

And  open  his  lips  against  thee  ; 

And  that  he  would  show  thee  the  secrets  of  wisdom. 

That  they  are  double  to  that  which  is  ! 

Know  therefore  that  God  exacteth  of  thee  less  than  thine 
iniquity  deserveth. 

Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God  ? 

Canst  thou  find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection  ? 

It  is  as  high  as  heaven  ; what  canst  thou  do  ? 

Deeper  than  hell ; what  canst  thou  know  ? 

The  measure  thereof  is  longer  than  the  earth. 

And  broader  than  the  sea. 

If  he  cut  off,  and  shut  up,  or  gather  together, 

Then  who  can  hinder  him  ? 

For  he  knoweth  vain  men  ; 

He  seeth  wickedness  also  ; 

Will  he  not  then  consider  it  ? 

For  vain  man  would  be  wise. 

Though  man  be  born  like  a wild  ass’s  colt. 

If  thou  prepare  thine  heart. 

And  stretch  out  thine  hands  toward  him  ; 


46 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


If  iniquity  be  in  thine  hand,  put  it  far  away, 

And  let  not  wickedness  dwell  in  thy  tabernacles. 

For  then  shalt  thou  lift  up  thy  face  without  spot ; 

Yea,  thou  shalt  be  stedfast,  and  shalt  not  fear  ; 

Because  thou  shalt  forget  thy  misery. 

And  remember  it  as  waters  that  pass  away  : 

And  thine  age  shall  be  clearer  than  the  noonday  ; 

Thou  shalt  shine  forth,  thou  shalt  be  as  the  morning. 

And  thou  shalt  be  secure,  because  there  is  hope  j 
Yea,  thou  shalt  dig  about  thee,  and  thou  shalt  take 
thy  rest  in  safety. 

Also  thou  shalt  lie  down,  and  none  shall  make  thee  afraid  j 
Yea,  many  shall  make  suit  unto  thee. 

But  the  eyes  of  the  wicked  shall  fail. 

And  they  shall  not  escape. 

And  their  hope  shall  be  as  the  giving  up  of  the  ghost. 

And  job  answered  and  said. 

No  doubt  but  ye  are  the  people, 

And  wisdom  shall  die  with  you  ! 

But  I have  understanding  as  well  as  you  ; 

I am  not  inferior  to  you  : 

Yea,  who  knoweth  not  such  things  as  these  ? 

I am  as  one  mocked  of  his  neighbour. 

Who  calleth  upon  God,  and  he  answereth  him  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


47 


The  just  upright  man  is  laughed  to  scorn. 

He  that  is  ready  to  slip  with  his  feet 

Is  as  a lamp  despised  in  the  thought  of  him  that  is  at  ease. 


The  tabernacles  of  robbers  prosper, 

And  they  that  provoke  God  are  secure ; 

Into  whose  hand  God  bringeth  abundantly. 

But  ask  now  the  beasts,  and  they  shall  teach  thee ; 
And  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  they  shall  tell  thee  ; 
Or  speak  to  the  earth,  and  it  shall  teach  thee  : 

And  the  fishes  of  the  sea  shall  declare  unto  thee. 

Who  knoweth  not  in  all  these 

That  the  hand  of  the  Lord  hath  wrought  this  ? 


48 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


In  whose  hand  is  the  soul  of  every  living  thing, 

And  the  breath  of  all  mankind. 

Doth  not  the  ear  try  words  ? 

And  the  mouth  taste  his  meat  ? 

With  the  ancient  is  wisdom  ; 

And  in  length  of  days  understanding. 

With  him  is  wisdom  and  strength, 

He  hath  counsel  and  understanding. 

Behold,  he  breaketh  down,  and  it  cannot  be  built  again 
He  shutteth  up  a man,  and  there  can  be  no  opening. 
Behold,  he  withholdeth  the  waters,  and  they  dry  up  : 
Also  he  sendeth  them  out,  and  they  overturn  the  earth. 
With  him  is  strength  and  wisdom  : 

The  deceived  and  the  deceiver  are  his. 

He  leadeth  counsellors  away  spoiled. 

And  maketh  the  judges  fools. 

He  looseth  the  bond  of  kings. 

And  girdeth  their  loins  with  a girdle. 

He  leadeth  princes  away  spoiled. 

And  overthroweth  the  mighty. 

He  removeth  away  the  speech  of  the  trusty. 

And  taketh  away  the  understanding  of  the  aged. 

He  poureth  contempt  upon  princes. 

And  weakeneth  the  strength  of  the  mighty. 

He  discovereth  deep  things  out  of  darkness. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


49 


And  bringeth  out  to  light  the  shadow  of  death. 

He  increaseth  the  nations,  and  destroyeth  them  : 

He  enlargeth  the  nations,  and  straiteneth  them  again. 

He  taketh  away  the  heart  of  the  chief  of  the  people  of  the  earth. 
And  causeth  them  to  wander  in  a wilderness  where  there 
is  no  way. 

They  grope  in  the  dark  without  light. 

And  he  maketh  them  to  stagger  like  a drunken  man. 

Lo,  mine  eye  hath  seen  all  this. 

Mine  ear  hath  heard  and  understood  it. 

What  ye  know,  the  same  do  I know  also  : 

I am  not  inferior  unto  you. 

Surely  I would  speak  to  the  Almighty, 

And  I desire  to  reason  with  God. 

But  ye  are  forgers  of  lies. 

Ye  are  all  physicians  of  no  value. 

O that  ye  would  altogether  hold  your  peace  I 
And  it  should  be  your  wisdom. 

Hear  now  my  reasoning, 

And  hearken  to  the  pleadings  of  my  lips. 

Will  ye  speak  wickedly  for  God  ^ 

And  talk  deceitfully  for  him  ? 

Will  ye  accept  his  person  ? 

Will  ye  contend  for  God  ? 


11 


50 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Is  it  good  that  he  should  search  you  out  ? 

Or  as  one  man  mocketh  another,  do  ye  so  mock  him  ? 
He  will  surely  reprove  you, 

If  ye  do  secretly  accept  persons. 

Shall  not  his  excellency  make  you  afraid  ? 

And  his  dread  fall  upon  you  ? 

Your  remembrances  are  like  unto  ashes. 

Your  bodies  to  bodies  of  clay. 

Hold  your  peace,  let  me  alone. 

That  I may  speak,  and  let  come  on  me  what  will. 
Wherefore  do  I take  my  flesh  in  my  teeth. 

And  put  my  life  in  mine  hand  ? 

Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I trust  in  him  : 

But  I will  maintain  mine  own  ways  before  him. 

He  also  shall  be  my  salvation  : 

For  an  hypocrite  shall  not  come  before  him. 

Hear  diligently  my  speech. 

And  my  declaration  with  your  ears. 

Behold  now,  I have  ordered  my  cause ; 

I know  that  I shall  be  justified. 

Who  is  he  that  will  plead  with  me  ? 

For  now,  if  I hold  my  tongue,  I shall  give  up  the  ghost. 

Only  do  not  two  things  unto  me  : 

'Fhen  will  I not  hide  myself  from  thee. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


51 


Withdraw  thine  hand  far  from  me  : 

And  let  not  thy  dread  make  me  afraid. 

Then  call  thou,  and  I will  answer  : 

Or  let  me  speak,  and  answer  thou  me. 

How  many  are  mine  iniquities  and  sins  ? 

Make  me  to  know  my  transgression  and  my  sin. 
Wherefore  hidest  thou  thy  face. 

And  boldest  me  for  thine  enemy  .? 

Wilt  thou  break  a leaf  driven  to  and  fro  ? 

And  wilt  thou  pursue  the  dry  stubble  ? 

For  thou  writest  bitter  things  against  me. 

And  makest  me  to  possess  the  iniquities  of  my  youth. 
Thou  puttest  my  feet  also  in  the  stocks, 

And  lookest  narrowly  unto  all  my  paths  ; 

Thou  settest  a print  upon  the  heels  of  my  feet. 

And  he,  as  a rotten  thing,  consumeth. 

As  a garment  that  is  moth  eaten. 

Man  that  is  born  of  a woman 
Is  of  few  days,  and  full  of  trouble. 

He  cometh  forth  like  a flower,  and  is  cut  down  : 

He  fleeth  also  as  a shadow,  and  continueth  not. 

And  dost  thou  open  thine  eyes  upon  such  an  one. 
And  bringest  me  into  judgment  with  thee 
Who  can  bring  a clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ^ 

Not  one : 


U.  OF  ILL  LIB, 


Seeing  his  days  are  determined, 

The  number  of  his  months  are  with  thee, 

Thou  hast  appointed  his  bounds  that  he  cannot  pass  ; 
Turn  from  him,  that  he  may  rest. 

Till  he  shall  accomplish,  as  an  hireling,  his  day. 

For  there  is  hope  of  a tree. 

If  it  be  cut  down,  that  it  will  sprout  again. 

And  that  the  tender  branch  thereof  will  not  cease. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


53 


Though  the  root  thereof  wax  old  in  the  earth, 

And  the  stock  thereof  die  in  the  ground  ; 

Yet  through  the  scent  of  water  it  will  bud, 

And  bring  forth  boughs  like  a plant. 

But  man  dieth,  and  wasteth  away  : 

Yea,  man  giveth  up  the  ghost,  and  where  is  he  ? 

As  the  waters  fail  from  the  sea. 

And  the  flood  decayeth  and  drieth  up  : 

So  man  lieth  down,  and  riseth  not : 

Till  the  heavens  be  no  more,  they  shall  not  awake. 

Nor  be  raised  out  of  their  sleep. 

O that  thou  wouldest  hide  me  in  the  grave. 

That  thou  wouldest  keep  me  secret,  until  thy  wrath  be  past. 
That  thou  wouldest  appoint  me  a set  time,  and  remember  me  ! 
If  a man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ? 

All  the  days  of  my  appointed  time  will  I wait. 

Till  my  change  come. 

Thou  shalt  call,  and  I will  answer  thee  : 

Thou  wilt  have  a desire  to  the  work  of  thine  hands. 

For  now  thou  numberest  my  steps  : 

Dost  thou  not  watch  over  my  sin  ? 

My  transgression  is  sealed  up  in  a bag. 

And  thou  sewest  up  mine  iniquity. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


5 + 

And  surely  the  mountain  falling  cometh  to  nought, 

And  the  rock  is  removed  out  of  his  place. 

The  waters  wear  the  stones  : 

Thou  washest  away  the  things  which  grow  out  of  the  dust 
of  the  earth  j 

And  thou  destroyest  the  hope  of  man. 

Thou  prevailest  for  ever  against  him,  and  he  passeth  : 

Thou  changest  his  countenance,  and  sendest  him  away. 

His  sons  come  to  honour,  and  he  knoweth  it  not ; 

And  they  are  brought  low,  but  he  perceiveth  it  not  of  them. 
But  his  flesh  upon  him  shall  have  pain. 

And  his  soul  within  him  shall  mourn. 


PART  II. 


THE  CONTROVERSY 


SECOND  SERIES 


Then  answered  ELIPHAZ  the  Temanite,  and  said, 


'i 


Should  a wise  man  utter  vain  knowledge, 

And  fill  his  belly  with  the  east. wind  ? . 

Should  he  reason  with  unprofitable  talk  ? 

Or  with  speeches  wherewith  he  can  do  no  good  ? 
Yea,  thou  castest  off  fear. 

And  restrainest  prayer  before  God. 

For  thy  mouth  uttereth  thine  iniquity. 


'FHIi  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  thou  choosest  the  tongue  of  the  crafty. 

Thine  own  mouth  condemneth  thee,  and  not  I : 

Yea,  thine  own  lips  testify  against  thee. 

Art  thou  the  first  man  that  was  born  ? 

Or  wast  thou  made  before  the  hills  ? 

Hast  thou  heard  the  secret  of  God 
And  dost  thou  restrain  wisdom  to  thyself.? 

What  knowest  thou,  that  we  know  not .? 

What  understandest  thou,  which  is  not  in  us  .? 

With  us  are  both  the  grayheaded  and  very  aged  men. 
Much  elder  than  thy  father. 

Are  the  consolations  of  God  small  with  thee  .? 

Is  there  any  secret  thing  with  thee  .? 

Why  doth  thine  heart  carry  thee  away  .? 

And  what  do  thy  eyes  wink  at. 

That  thou  turnest  thy  spirit  against  God, 

And  lettest  such  words  go  out  of  thy  mouth  .? 

What  is  man,  that  he  should  be  clean  .? 

And  he  which  is  born  of  a woman,  that  he  should  be 
righteous  .? 

Behold,  he  putteth  no  trust  in  his  saints  ; 

Yea,  the  heavens  are  not  clean  in  his  sight. 

How  much  more  abominable  and  filthy  is  man. 

Which  drinketh  inicjuity  like  water  .? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


59 


I will  show  thee,  hear  me  ; • 

And  that  which  I have  seen  I will  declare  •, 

Which  wise  men  have  told  from  their  fathers, 

And  have  not  hid  it : 

Unto  whom  alone  the  earth  was  given, 

And  no  stranger  passed  among  them. 

The  wicked  man  travaileth  with  pain  all  his  days, 

And  the  number  of  years  is  hidden  to  the  oppressor. 
A dreadful  sound  is  in  his  ears  : 

In  prosperity  the  destroyer  shall  come  upon  him. 

He  believeth  not  that  he  shall  return  out  of  darkness. 


6o 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  he  is  waited  for  of  the  sword. 

He  wandereth  abroad  for  bread,  saying,  Where  is  it  ? 

He  knoweth  that  the  day  of  darkness  is  ready  at  his  hand. 
Trouble  and  anguish  shall  make  him  afraid  •, 

They  shall  prevail  against  him,  as  a king  ready  to  the  battle. 
For  he  stretcheth  out  his  hand  against  God, 

And  strengtheneth  himself  against  the  Almighty. 

He  runneth  upon  him,  even  on  his  neck,  " 

Upon  the  thick  bosses  of  his  bucklers  : 

Because  he  covereth  his  face  with  his  fatness. 

And  maketh  collops  of  fat  on  his  flanks. 

And  he  dwelleth  in  desolate  cities, 

And  in  houses  which  no  man  inhabiteth. 

Which  are  ready  to  become  heaps. 

He  shall  not  be  rich,  neither  shall  his  substance  continue, 
Neither  shall  he  prolong  the  perfection  thereof  upon  the  earth. 
He  shall  not  depart  out  of  darkness  j 
The  flame  shall  dry  up  his  branches. 

And  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth  shall  he  go  away. 

Let  not  him  that  is  deceived  trust  in  vanity  : 

For  vanity  shall  be  his  recompence. 

It  shall  be  accomplished  before  his  time. 

And  his  branch  shall  not  be  green. 

He  shall  shake  ofl'  his  unripe  grape  as  the  vine. 

And  shall  cast  olF  his  flower  as  the  olive. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


6 I 


For  the  congregation  of  hypocrites  shall  be  desolate, 
And  fire  shall  consume  the  tabernacles  of  bribery. 
'They  conceive  mischief,  and  bring  forth  vanity, 

And  their  belly  prepareth  deceit. 

Then  JOB  answered  and  said, 

I have  heard  many  such  things  : 

Miserable  comforters  are  ye  all. 

Shall  vain  words  have  an  end  ? 

Or  what  emboldeneth  thee  that  thou  answerest 
I also  could  speak  as  ye  cio  : 

If  your  soul  were  in  my  soul’s  stead, 

I could  heap  up  words  against  you, 

And  shake  mine  head  at  you. 

But  I would  strengthen  you  with  my  mouth. 

And  the  moving  of  my  lips  should  asswage  your  grief. 

Though  I speak,  my  grief  is  not  asswaged  : 

And  though  I forbear,  what  am  I eased  ? 

But  now  he  hath  made  me  weary  : 

Thou  hast  made  desolate  all  my  company. 

And  thou  hast  filled  me  with  wrinkles. 

Which  is  a witness  against  me  : 

And  my  leanness  rising  up  in  me 
Beareth  witness  to  my  face. 


62 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


He  teareth  me  in  his  wrath,  who  hateth  me  : 

He  giiasheth  upon  me  with  his  teeth  ; 

Mine  enemy  sharpeneth  his  eyes  upon  me. 

They  have  gaped  upon  me  with  their  mouth  ; 

They  have  smitten  me  upon  the  cheek  reproachfully  ; 

They  have  gathered  themselves  together  against  me. 

God  hath  delivered  me  to  the  ungodly, 

And  turned  me  over  into  the  hands  of  the  wicked. 

I was  at  ease,  but  he  hath  broken  me  asunder  : 

He  hath  also  taken  me  by  my  neck,  and  shaken  me  to  pieces. 
And  set  me  up  for  his  mark. 

His  archers  compass  me  round  about, 

He  cleaveth  my  reins  asunder,  and  doth  not  spare  ; 

He  poureth  out  my  gall  upon  the  ground. 

He  breaketh  me  with  breach  upon  breach, 

He  runneth  upon  me  like  a giant. 

I have  sewed  sackcloth  upon  my  skin. 

And  defiled  my  horn  in  the  dust. 

My  face  is  foul  with  weeping. 

And  on  my  eyelids  is  the  shadow  of  death  *, 

Not  for  any  injustice  in  mine  hands  : 

Also  my  prayer  is  pure. 

O earth,  cover  not  thou  my  blood. 

And  let  my  cry  have  no  place. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


^’3 


Also  now,  behold,  my  witness  is  in  heaven, 

And  my  record  is  on  high. 

My  friends  scorn  me  : 

But  mine  eye  poureth  out  tears  unto  God. 

O that  one  might  plead  for  a man  with  God, 

As  a man  pleadeth  for  his  neighbour  ! 

When  a few  years  are  come. 

Then  I shall  go  the  way  whence  I shall  not  return. 
My  breath  is  corrupt. 

My  days  are  extinct, 

The  graves  are  ready  for  me. 

Are  there  not  mockers  with  me  ? 

And  doth  not  mine  eye  continue  in  their  provocation  ? 
Lay  down  now,  put  me  in  a surety  with  thee  •, 

Who  is  he  that  will  strike  hands  with  me  ^ 

For  thou  hast  hid  their  heart  from  understanding  : 
Therefore  shalt  thou  not  exalt  them. 

He  that  speaketh  flattery  to  his  friends, 

Even  the  eyes  of  his  children  shall  fail. 

He  hath  made  me  also  a byword  of  the  people ; 
And  aforetime  I was  as  a tabret. 

Mine  eye  also  is  dim  by  reason  of  sorrow. 

And  all  my  members  are  as  a shadow. 

Upright  men  shall  be  astonied  at  this. 


64 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  the  innocent  shall  stir  up  himself  against  the  hypocrite. 
The  righteous  also  shall  hold  on  his  way, 

And  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger 
But  as  for  you  all,  do  ye  return,  and  come  now  : 

For  I cannot  find  one  wise  man  among  you. 

My  days  are  past, 

My  purposes  are  broken  olF,  ' 

Even  the  thoughts  of  my  heart. 

They  change  the  night  into  day  : 

The  light  is  short  because  of  darkness. 

If  I wait,  the  grave  is  mine  house  : 

I have  made  my  bed  in  the  darkness. 

I have  said  to  corruption.  Thou  art  my  father  ; 

To  the  worm,  Thou  art  my  mother,  and  my  sister. 

And  where  is  now  my  hope 

As  for  my  hope,  who  shall  see  it  1 

They  shall  go  down  to  the  bars  of  the  pit, 

When  our  rest  together  is  in  the  dust. 

Then  answered  BILDAD  the  Shuhite,  and  said. 

How  long  will  it  be  ere  ye  make  an  end  of  words  ? 
Mark,  and  afterwards  we  will  speak. 

Wherefore  are  we  counted  as  beasts. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


65 


He  teareth  himself  in  his  anger  : 

Shall  the  earth  be  forsaken  for  thee  ? 

And  shall  the  rock  be  removed  out  of  his  place  ? 


Yea,  the  light  of  the  wicked  shall  be  put  out, 
And  the  spark  of  his  fire  shall  not  shine. 

The  light  shall  be  dark  in  his  tabernacle, 


K 


66  THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 

And  his  candle  shall  be  put  out  with  him. 

The  steps  of  his  strength  shall  be  straitened, 

And  his  own  counsel  shall  cast  him  down. 

For  he  is  cast  into  a net  by  his  own  feet,  ^ 

And  he  walketh  upon  a snare. 

The  gin  shall  take  him  by  the  heel. 

And  the  robber  shall  prevail  against  him. 

The  snare  is  laid  for  him  in  the  ground, 

And  a trap  for  him  in  the  way. 

Terrors  shall  make  him  afraid  on  every  side. 

And  shall  drive  him  to  his  feet. 

His  strength  shall  be  hungerbitten. 

And  destruction  shall  be  ready  at  his  side. 

It  shall  devour  the  strength  of  his  skin  : 

Even  the  firstborn  of  death  shall  devour  his  strength. 

His  confidence  shall  be  rooted  out  of  his  tabernacle. 

And  it  shall  bring  him  to  the  king  of  terrors. 

It  shall  dwell  in  his  tabernacle,  because  it  is  none  of  his  : 
Brimstone  shall  be  scattered  upon  his  habitation. 

His  roots  shall  be  dried  up  beneath. 

And  above  shall  his  branch  be  cut  off. 

His  remembrance  shall  perish  from  the  earth. 

And  he  shall  have  no  name  in  the  street. 

He  shall  be  driven  from  light  into  darkness. 

And  chased  out  of  the  world. 

He  shall  neither  have  son  nor  nephew  among  his  people. 


I’HE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


^^7 


Nor  any  remaining  in  his  dwellings. 

They  that  come  after  him  shall  be  astonied  at  his  day, 
As  they  that  went  before  were  alfrighted. 

Surely  such  are  the  dwellings  of  the  wicked, 

And  this  is  the  place  of  him  that  knoweth  not  God. 


Yien  job  answered  and  said, 

How  long  will  ye  vex  my  soul. 

And  break  me  in  pieces  with  words  ? 

These  ten  times  have  ye  reproached  me  : 

Ye  are  not  ashamed  that  ye  make  yourselves  strange 
to  me. 

And  be  it  indeed  that  I have  erred. 

Mine  error  remaineth  with  myself. 

If  indeed  ye  will  magnify  yourselves  against  me, 

And  plead  against  me  my  reproach  : 

Know  now  that  God  hath  overthrown  me, 

And  hath  compassed  me  with  his  net. 

Behold,  I cry  out  of  wrong,  but  I am  not  heard  : 

1 cry  aloud,  but  there  is  no  judgment. 

He  hath  fenced  up  my  way  that  I cannot  pass. 

And  he  hath  set  darkness  in  my  paths. 

He  hath  stripped  me  of  my  glory, 

And  taken  the  crown  from  my  head. 

He  hath  destroyed  me  on  every  side,  and  I am  gone  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  mine  hope  hath  he  removed  like  a tree. 

He  hath  also  kindled  his  wrath  against  me, 

And  he  coimteth  me  unto  him  as  one  of  his  enemies. 
His  troops  come  together, 

And  raise  up  their  way  against  me, 

And  encamp  round  about  my  tabernacle. 

He  hath  put  my  brethren  far  from  me. 

And  mine  acquaintance  are  verily  estranged  from  me. 
My  kinsfolk  have  failed. 

And  my  familiar  friends  have  forgotten  me. 

They  that  dwell  in  mine  house, 

And  my  maids,  count  me  for  a stranger  : 

I am  an  alien  in  their  sight. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


69 


I called  my  servant,  and  he  gave  me  no  answer  ; 

I intreated  him  with  my  month. 

My  breath  is  strange  to  my  wife, 

Though  I intreated  for  the  children’s  sake  of  mine  own  body. 
Yea,  young  children  despised  me ; 

I arose,  and  they  spake  against  me. 

All  my  inward  friends  abhorred  me  : 

And  they  whom  I loved  are  turned  against  me. 

My  bone  cleaveth  to  my  skin  and  to  my  flesh, 

And  I am  escaped  with  the  skin  of  my  teeth. 

Have  pity  upon  me,  have  pity  upon  me,  O ye  my  friends  ; 
For  the  hand  of  God  hath  touched  me. 

Why  do  ye  persecute  me  as  God, 

And  are  not  satisfied  with  my  flesh  ? 

Oh  that  my  words  were  now  written. 

Oh  that  they  were  printed  in  a book  ! 

That  they  were  graven  with  an  iron  pen 
And  lead  in  the  rock  for  ever  ! 

For  I know  that  my  redeemer  liveth, 

And  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth  : 
And  though  after  my  skin  worms  destroy  this  body. 

Yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I see  God  : 

Whom  I shall  see  for  myself, 

And  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another  j 
Though  my  reins  be  consumed  within  me. 


70 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


But  ye  should  say,  Why  persecute  we  him, 
Seeing  the  root  of  the  matter  is  found  in  me  ? 

Be  ye  afraid  of  the  sword  : 

For  wrath  bringeth  the  punishments  of  the  sword, 
That  ye  may  know  there  is  a judgment. 

Then  answered  ZOPHAR  the  Naamathite,  and  said. 


Therefore  do  my  thoughts  cause  me  to  answer, 
And  for  this  I make  haste. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


71 


I have  heard  the  check  of  my  reproach, 

And  the  spirit  of  my  understanding  causeth  me  to  answer. 

Knowest  thou  not  this  of  old, 

Since  man  was  placed  upon  earth. 

That  the  triumphing  of  the  wicked  is  short. 

And  the  joy  of  the  hypocrite  but  for  a moment  ^ 

Though  his  excellency  mount  up  to  the  heavens. 

And  his  head  reach  unto  the  clouds  ; 

Yet  he  shall  perish  for  ever  like  his  own  dung  : 

They  which  have  seen  him  shall  say.  Where  is  he  ^ 

He  shall  fly  away  as  a dream,  and  shall  not  be  found  : 
Yea,  he  shall  be  chased  away  as  a vision  of  the  night. 
The  eye  also  which  saw  him  shall  see  him  no  more  ; 
Neither  shall  his  place  any  more  behold  him. 

His  children  shall  seek  to  please  the  poor. 

And  his  hands  shall  restore  their  goods. 

His  bones  are  full  of  the  sin  of  his  youth. 

Which  shall  lie  down  with  him  in  the  dust. 

Though  wickedness  be  sweet  in  his  mouth, 

Though  he  hide  it  under  his  tongue  ; 

Though  he  spare  it,  and  forsake  it  not ; 

But  keep  it  still  within  his  mouth  : 

Yet  his  meat  in  his  bowels  is  turned. 

It  is  the  gall  of  asps  within  him. 


72  THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 

He  hath  swallowed  down  riches, 
And  he  shall  vomit  them  up  again  : 
God  shall  cast  them  out  of  his  belly. 


He  shall  suck  the  poison  of  asps  : 

The  viper’s  tongue  shall  slay  him. 

He  shall  not  see  the  rivers,  the  floods. 

The  brooks  of  honey  and  butter. 

That  which  he  laboured  for  shall  he  restore. 

And  shall  not  swallow  it  down  : 

According  to  his  substance  shall  the  restitution  be. 
And  he  shall  not  rejoice  therein. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


73 


Because  he  hath  oppresseci  and  hath  forsaken  the  poor  ; 
Because  he  hath  violently  taken  away  an  house  which  he 
builded  not ; 

Surely  he  sh^ll  not  feel  quietness  in  his  belly, 

He  shall  not  save  of  that  which  he  desired. 

There  shall  none  of  his  meat  be  left ; 

Therefore  shall  no  man  look  for  his  goods. 

In  the  fulness  of  his  sufficiency  he  shall  be  in  straits  : 
Every  hand  of  the  wicked  shall  come  upon  him. 

When  he  is  about  to  fill  his  belly, 

God  shall  cast  the  fury  of  his  wrath  upon  him, 

And  shall  rain  it  upon  him  while  he  is  eating. 

He  shall  flee  from  the  iron  weapon. 

And  the  bow  of  steel  shall  strike  him  through. 

It  is  drawn,  and  cometh  out  of  the  body  ; 

Yea,  the  glittering  sword  cometh  out  of  his  gall : 

Terrors  are  upon  him. 

All  darkness  shall  be  hid  in  his  secret  places  : 

A fire  not  blown  shall  consume  him  ; 

It  shall  go  ill  with  him  that  is  left  in  his  tabernacle. 

The  heaven  shall  reveal  his  iniquity ; 

And  the  earth  shall  rise  up  against  him. 

The  increase  of  his  house  shall  depart. 

And  his  goods  shall  flow  away  in  the  day  of  his 
wrath.  . ' 


( 


74 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


This  is  the  portion  of  a wickeJ  man  from  God, 

And  the  heritage  appointed  unto  him  by  God. 

But  job  answered  and  said, 

Hear  diligently  my  speech, 

And  let  this  be  your  consolations. 

Suffer  me  that  I may  speak  ; 

And  after  that  I have  spoken,  mock  on. 

As  for  me,  is  my  complaint  to  man  ^ 

And  if  it  were  so,  why  should  not  my  spirit  be  troubled  ? 
Mark  me,  and  be  astonished. 

And  lay  your  hand  upon  your  mouth. 

Even  when  I remember  1 am  afraid. 

And  trembling  taketh  hold  on  my  flesh. 

Wherefore  do  the  wicked  live. 

Become  old,  yea,  are  mighty  in  power  ? 

Their  seed  is  established  in  their  sight  with  them. 

And  their  offspring  before  their  eyes. 

Their  houses  are  safe  from  fear, 

Neither  is  the  rod  of  God  upon  them. 

Their  bull  gendereth,  and  faileth  not ; 

Their  cow  calveth,  and  casteth  not  her  calf. 

They  send  forth  their  little  ones  like  a flock, 

And  their  children  dance. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


75 


They  take  the  timbrel  and  harp, 

And  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ. 

They  sj^end  their  days  in  wealth, 

And  in  a moment  go  down  to  the  grave. 

Therefore  they  say  unto  God,  Depart  from  us  ; 

For  we  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways. 

What  is  the  Almighty,  that  we  should  serve  him  } 

And  what  profit  should  we  have,  if  we  pray  unto  him 


i 


76 


THE -BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Lo,  their  good  is  not  in  their  hand  : 

The  counsel  of  the  wicked  is  far  from  me. 

How  oft  is  the  candle  of  the  wicked  put  out  ? 

And  how  oft  cometh  their  destruction  upon  them  ^ 
God  distributeth  sorrows  in  his  anger. 

They  are  as  stubble  before  the  wind, 

And  as  chaff  that  the  storm  carrieth  away. 

God  layeth  up  his  iniquity  for  his  children  ; 

He  rewardeth  him,  and  he  shall  know  it. 

His  eyes  shall  see  his  destruction. 

And  he  shall  drink  of  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty. 
For  what  pleasure  hath  he  in  his  house  after  him, 
When  the  number  of  his  months  is  cut  off  in 
the  midst  ^ 

Shall  any  teach  God  knowledge  ^ 

Seeing  he  judgeth  those  that  are  high. 

One  dieth  in  his  full  strength. 

Being  wholly  at  ease  and  quiet. 

His  breasts  are  full  of  milk, 

And  his  bones  are  moistened  with  marrow. 

And  another  dieth  in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul, 
And  never  eateth  with  pleasure. 

They  shall  lie  down  alike  in  the  dust. 

And  the  worms  shall  cover  them. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


77 


Behold,  I know  your  thoughts, 

And  the  devices  which  ye  wrongfully  imagine  against  me. 
For  ye  say.  Where  is  the  house  of  the  prince  ^ 

And  where  are  the  dwelling  places  of  the  wicked  } 

Have  ye  not  asked  them  that  go  by  the  way  ^ 

And  do  ye  not  know  their  tokens. 

That  the  wicked  is  reserved  to  the  day  of  destruction 
They  shall  be  brought  forth  to  the  day  of  wrath. 

Who  shall  declare  his  way  to  his  face  ? 

And  who  shall  repay  him  what  he  hath  done  ? 

Yet  shall  he  be  brought  to  the  grave, 

And  shall  remain  in  the  tomb. 

The  clods  of  the  valley  shall  be  sweet  unto  him, 

And  every  man  shall  draw  after  him. 

As  there  are  innumerable  before  him. 

How  then  comfort  ye  me  in  vain, 

Seeing  in  your  answers  there  remaineth  falsehood  ? 


THE 

PART  III. 

CONTROVERSY 

1 

j 

! 

THIRD  SERIES 

Then  ELIPHAZ  the  Temanite  answered  and  said, 

Can  a man  be  profitable  unto  God, 

As  he  that  is  wise  may  be  profitable  unto  himself  ? 

Is  it  any  pleasure  to  the  Almighty,  that  thou  art  righteous  ? 
Or  is  it  gain  to  him,  that  thou  makest  thy  ways  perfect  ? 
Will  he  reprove  thee  for  fear  of  thee  ? 

Will  he  enter  with  thee  into  judgment  ? 


M 


82 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Is  not  thy  wickedness  great  ^ 

And  thine  iniquities  infinite  ? 

For  thou  hast  taken  a pledge  from  thy  brother  for  nought, 
And  stripped  the  naked  of  their  clothing. 

Thou  hast  not  given  water  to  the  weary  to  drink, 

And  thou  hast  withholden  bread  from  the  hungry. 

But  as  for  the  mighty  man,  he  had  the  earth  ; 

And  the  honourable  man  dwelt  in  it. 

Thou  hast  sent  widows  away  empty. 

And  the  arms  of  the  fatherless  have  been  broken. 
Therefore  snares  are  round  about  thee. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


«3 


And  sudden  fear  troubleth  thee  ; 

Or  darkness,  that  thou  canst  not  see  j 
And  abundance  of  waters  cover  thee. 

Is  not  God  in  the  height  of  heaven  ? 

And  behold  the  height  of  the  stars,  how  high  they  are  * 
And  thou  sayest.  How  doth  God  know  ^ 

Can  he  judge  through  the  dark  cloud  ? 

Thick  clouds  are  a covering  to  him,  that  he  seeth  not ; 
And  he  walketh  in  the  circuit  of  heaven. 

Hast  thou  marked  the  old  way 
Which  wicked  men  have  trodden 
Which  were  cut  down  out  of  time. 

Whose  foundation  was  overflown  with  a flood  : 

Which  said  unto  God,  Depart  from  us  : 

And  what  can  the  Almighty  do  for  them 
Yet  he  filled  their  houses  with  good  things  : 

But  the  counsel  of  the  wicked  is  far  from  me. 

The  righteous  see  it,  and  are  glad  : 

And  the  innocent  laugh  them  to  scorn. 

Whereas  our  substance  is  not  cut  down. 

But  the  remnant  of  them  the  fire  consumeth. 

Acquaint  now  thyself  with  him,  and  be  at  peace  : 
Thereby  good  shall  come  unto  thee. 

Receive,  I pray  thee,  the  law  from  his  mouth, 


84 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  lay  up  his  words  in  thine  heart. 

If  thou  return  to  the  Almighty,  thou  shalt  be  built  up, 

Thou  shalt  put  away  iniquity  far  from  thy  tabernacles. 

Then  shalt  thou  lay  up  gold  as  dust. 

And  the  gold  of  Ophir  as  the  stones  of  the  brooks. 

[ 

Yea,  the  Almighty  shall  be  thy  defence,  I 

And  thou  shalt  have  plenty  of  silver.  | 

For  then  shalt  thou  have  thy  delight  in  the  Almighty,  j 

And  shalt  lift  up  thy  face  unto  God. 

Thou  shalt  make  thy  prayer  unto  him,  and  he  shall  hear  thee. 

And  thou  shalt  pay  thy  vows. 

Thou  shalt  also  decree  a thing. 

And  it  shall  be  established  unto  thee  : 

And  the  light  shall  shine  upon  thy  ways.  ! 

When  men  are  cast  down. 

Then  thou  shalt  say.  There  is  lifting  up  ; 

And  he  shall  save  the  humble  person. 

He  shall  deliver  the  island  of  the  innocent : 

And  it  is  delivered  by  the  pureness  of  thine  hands. 

i 

Then  JOB  answered  and  said,  | 

Even  to-day  is  my  complaint  bitter  : I 

i 

My  stroke  is  heavier  than  my  groaning. 

Oh  that  I knew  where  I might  find  him  ! 
ddiat  I might  come  even  to  his  seat  ! 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


85 


I would  order  my  cause  before  him, 

And  fill  my  mouth  with  arguments. 

I would  know  the  words  which  he  would  answer  me, 

And  understand  what  he  would  say  unto  me. 

Will  he  plead  against  me  with  his  great  power 
No  j but  he  would  put  strength  in  me. 

There  the  righteous  might  dispute  with  him  ; 

So  should  I be  delivered  for  ever  from  my  judge. 

Behold,  I go  forward,  but  he  is  not  there  ; 

And  backward,  but  I cannot  perceive  him  : 

On  the  left  hand,  where  he  doth  work. 

But  I cannot  behold  him  : 

He  hideth  himself  on  the  right  hand. 

That  I cannot  see  him  : 

But  he  knoweth  the  way  that  I take  : 

When  he  hath  tried  me,  I shall  come  forth  as  gold. 

My  foot  hath  held  his  steps. 

His  way  have  I kept,  and  not  declined. 

Neither  have  I gone  back  from  the  commandment  of  his  lips  ; 
I have  esteemed  the  words  of  his  mouth  more  than  my 
necessary  food. 

But  he  is  in  one  mind,  and  who  can  turn  him  ? 

And  what  his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he  doeth. 

For  he  performeth  the  thing  that  is  appointed  for  me  : 

And  many  such  things  are  with  him. 


86 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Therefore  am  I troubled  at  his  presence  : 

When  I consider,  I am  afraid  of  him. 

For  God  maketh  my  heart  soft, 

And  the  Almighty  troubleth  me  : 

Because  I was  not  cut  off  before  the  darkness. 

Neither  hath  he  covered  the  darkness  from  my  face. 
Why,  seeing  times  are  not  hidden  from  the  Almighty, 
Do  they  that  know  him  not  see  his  days  ? 

Some  remove  the  landmarks  ; 

They  violently  take  away  flocks,  and  feed  thereof. 
They  drive  away  the  ass  of  the  fatherless. 


1 


1\ 


i 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


87 


They  take  the  widow’s  ox  for  a pledge. 

They  turn  the  needy  out  of  the  way  : 

The  poor  of  the  earth  hide  themselves  together. 
Behold,  as  wild  asses  in  the  desert,  go  they  forth  to 
their  work  ; 

Rising  betimes  for  a prey  : 

The  wilderness  yieldeth  food  for  them  and  for  their 
children. 

They  reap  every  one  his  corn  in  the  field  : 

And  they  gather  the  vintage  of  the  wicked. 

They  cause  the  naked  to  lodge  without  clothing. 

That  they  have  no  covering  in  the  cold. 

They  are  wet  with  the  showers  of  the  mountains. 

And  embrace  the  rock  for  want  of  a shelter. 


88 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


They  pluck  the  fatherless  from  the  breast, 

And  take  a pledge  of  the  poor. 

They  cause  him  to  go  naked  without  clothing, 

And  they  take  away  the  sheaf  from  the  hungry  ; 

Which  make  oil  within  their  walls. 

And  tread  their  winepresses,  and  suffer  thirst. 

Men  groan  from  out  of  the  city. 

And  the  soul  of  the  wounded  crieth  out : 

Yet  God  layeth  not  folly  to  them. 

They  are  of  those  that  rebel  against  the  light ; 

They  know  not  the  ways  thereof. 

Nor  abide  in  the  paths  thereof. 

The  murderer  rising  with  the  light 
Killeth  the  poor  and  needy. 

And  in  the  night  is  as  a thief. 

The  eye  also  of  the  adulterer  waiteth  for  the  twilight, 
Saying,  No  eye  shall  see  me  : 

And  disguiseth  his  face. 

In  the  dark  they  dig  through  houses, 

Which  they  had  marked  for  themselves  in  the  day  time  : 
They  know  not  the  light. 

For  the  morning  is  to  them  even  as  the  shadow  of  death  : 
If  one  know  them,  they  are  in  the  terrors  of  the  shadow 
of  death. 

He  is  swift  as  the  waters  ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 

Their  portion  is  cursed  in  the  earth  : 

He  beholdeth  not  the  way  of  the  vineyards. 


Drought  and  heat  consume  the  snow  waters  : 
So  doth  the  grave  those  which  have  sinned. 

The  womb  shall  forget  him  ; 


N 


90 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


The  worm  shall  feed  sweetly  on  him ; 

He  shall  be  no  more  remembered ; 

And  wickedness  shall  be  broken  as  a tree. 

He  evil  entreateth  the  barren  that  beareth  not: 
And  doeth  not  good  to  the  widow. 

He  draweth  also  the  mighty  with  his  power : 

He  riseth  up,  and  no  man  is  sure  of  life. 

Though  it  be  given  him  to  be  in  safety,  whereon 
he  resteth ; 

Yet  his  eyes  are  upon  their  ways. 

They  are  exalted  for  a little  while,  but  are  gone  and 
brought  low  ; 

They  are  taken  out  of  the  way  as  all  other. 

And  cut  off  as  the  tops  of  the  ears  of  corn. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


91 


And  if  it  be  not  so  now,  who  will  make  me  a liar, 
And  make  my  speech  nothing  worth  ? 

Then  answered  BILDAD  the  Shuhite,  and  said. 

Dominion  and  fear  are  with  him. 

He  maketh  peace  in  his  high  places. 

Is  there  any  number  of  his  armies  ? 

And  upon  whom  doth  not  his  light  arise  ? 

How  then  can  man  be  justified  with  God  ^ 

Or  how  can  he  be  clean  that  is  born  of  a woman  ^ 
Behold  even  to  the  moon,  and  it  shineth  not ; 

Yea,  the  stars  are  not  pure  in  his  sight. 

How  much  less  man,  that  is  a worm  ? 

And  the  son  of  man,  which  is  a worm  ? 


But  job  answered  and  said. 

How  hast  thou  helped  him  that  is  without  power  ? 
How  savest  thou  the  arm  that  hath  no  strength  ? 

How  hast  thou  counselled  him  that  hath  no  wisdom 
And  how  hast  thou  plentifully  declared  the  thing  as  it  is  ? 
To  whom  hast  thou  uttered  words  ? 

And  whose  spirit  came  from  thee  ? 


92 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Dead  things  are  formed  from  under  the  waters, 

And  the  inhabitants  thereof. 

Hell  is  naked  before  him, 

And  destruction  hath  no  covering. 

He  stretcheth  out  the  north  over  the  empty  place. 

And  hangeth  the  earth  upon  nothing. 

He  bindeth  up  the  waters  in  his  thick  clouds  ; 

And  the  cloud  is  not  rent  under  them. 

He  holdeth  back  the  face  of  his  throne. 

And  spreadeth  his  cloud  upon  it. 

He  hath  compassed  the  waters  with  bounds. 

Until  the  day  and  night  come  to  an  end. 

The  pillars  of  heaven  tremble 
And  are  astonished  at  his  reproof. 

He  divideth  the  sea  with  his  power. 

And  by  his  understanding  he  smiteth  through  the  proud. 

By  his  spirit  he  hath  garnished  the  heavens  *, 

His  hand  hath  formed  the  crooked  serpent. 

Lo,  these  are  parts  of  his  ways  : but  how  little  a portion  is 
heard  of  him  .? 

But  the  thunder  of  his  power  who  can  understand  ? 

Moreover  JOB  continued  his  parable,  and  said. 

As  God  liveth,  who  hath  taken  away  my  judgment ; 
And  the  Almighty,  who  hath  vexed  my  soul ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


93 


All  the  while  my  breath  is  in  me, 

And  the  spirit  of  God  is  in  my  nostrils  ; 

My  lips  shall  not  speak  wickedness, 

Nor  my  tongue  utter  deceit. 

God  forbid  that  I should  justify  you  : 

Till  I die  I will  not  remove  mine  integrity  from  me. 

My  righteousness  I hold  fast,  and  will  not  let  it  go  : 

My  heart  shall  not  reproach  me  so  long  as  I live. 

Let  mine  enemy  be  as  the  wicked. 

And  he  that  riseth  up  against  me  as  the  unrighteous. 

For  what  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite. 

Though  he  hath  gained,  when  God  taketh  away  his  soul  ^ 

Will  God  hear  his  cry 

When  trouble  cometh  upon  him  ? 

Will  he  delight  himself  in  the  Almighty  ? 

Will  he  always  call  upon  God  ^ 

I will  teach  you  by  the  hand  of  God  : 

That  which  is  with  the  Almighty  will  I not  conceal. 
Behold,  all  ye  yourselves  have  seen  it ; 

Why  then  are  ye  thus  altogether  vain  ? 

This  is  the  portion  of  a wicked  man  with  God, 

And  the  heritage  of  oppressors. 

Which  they  shall  receive  of  the  Almighty. 

If  his  children  be  multiplied,  it  is  for  the  sword  : 


94 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  his  offspring  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  bread. 
Those  that  remain  of  him  shall  be  buried  in  death  : 
And  his  widows  shall  not  weep. 

Though  he  heap  up  silver  as  the  dust, 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


95 


And  prepare  raiment  as  the  clay  *, 

He  may  prepare  it,  but  the  just  shall  put  it  on, 

And  the  innocent  shall  divide  the  silver. 

He  buildeth  his  house  as  a moth. 

And  as  a booth  that  the  keeper  maketh. 

The  rich  man  shall  lie  down,  but  he  shall  not  be  gathered  : 
He  openeth  his  eyes,  and  he  is  not. 

Terrors  take  hold  on  him  as  waters, 

A tempest  stealeth  him  away  in  the  night. 

The  east  wind  carrieth  him  away,  and  he  departeth  : 

And  as  a storm  hurleth  him  out  of  his  place. 

For  God  shall  cast  upon  him,  and  not  spare : 

He  would  fain  flee  out  of  his  hand. 

Men  shall  clap  their  hands  at  him. 

And  shall  hiss  him  out  of  his  place. 

Surely  there  is  a vein  for  the  silver. 

And  a place  for  gold  where  they  fine  it. 

Iron  is  taken  out  of  the  earth. 

And  brass  is  molten  out  of  the  stone. 

He  setteth  an  end  to  darkness. 

And  searcheth  out  all  perfection  : 

The  stones  of  darkness,  and  the  shadow  of  death. 

The  flood  breaketh  out  from  the  inhabitant  *, 

Even  the  waters  forgotten  of  the  foot : 

They  are  dried  up,  they  are  gone  away  from  men. 


96 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


As  tor  the  earth,  out  of  it  cometh  bread  : 
And  under  it  is  turned  up  as  it  were  fire. 
The  stones  of  it  are  the  place  of  sapphires  : 
And  it  hath  dust  of  gold. 

There  is  a path  which  no  fowl  knoweth, 
And  which  the  vulture’s  eye  hath  not  seen  : 
The  lion’s  whelps  have  not  trodden  it, 

Nor  the  fierce  lion  passed  by  it. 

He  putteth  forth  his  hand  upon  the  rock  ; 
He  overturneth  the  mountains  by  the  roots. 
He  cutteth  out  rivers  among  the  rocks  ; 

And  his  eye  seeth  every  precious  thing. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


97 


He  bindeth  the  floods  from  overflowing ; 

And  the  thing  that  is  hid  bringeth  he  forth  to  light. 

But  where  shall  wisdom  be  found  ? 

And  where  is  the  place  of  understanding  ? 

Man  knoweth  not  the  price  thereof ; 

Neither  is  it  found  in  the  land  of  the  living. 

The  depth  saith.  It  is  not  in  me  : 

And  the  sea  saith,  It  is  not  with  me. 

It  cannot  be  gotten  for  gold, 

Neither  shall  silver  be  weighed  for  the  price  thereof. 

It  cannot  be  valued  with  the  gold  of  Ophir, 

With  the  precious  onyx,  or  the  sapphire. 

The  gold  and  the  crystal  cannot  equal  it : 

And  the  exchange  of  it  shall  not  be  for  jewels  of  fine  gold. 
No  mention  shall  be  made  of  coral,  or  of  pearls  : 

For  the  price  of  wisdom  is  above  rubies. 

The  topaz  of  Ethiopia  shall  not  equal  it. 

Neither  shall  it  be  valued  with  pure  gold. 

Whence  then  cometh  wisdom  ? 

And  where  is  the  place  of  understanding  ? 

Seeing  it  is  hid  from  the  eyes  of  all  living. 

And  kept  close  from  the  fowls  of  the  air. 

Destruction  and  death  say. 

We  have  heard  the  fame  thereof  with  our  ears. 


0 


98 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


God  understandeth  the  way  thereof, 
And  he  knoweth  the  place  thereof. 

For  he  looketh  to  the  ends  of  the  earth, 

And  seeth  under  the  whole  heaven  ; 

To  make  the  weight  for  the  winds  ; 

And  he  weigheth  the  waters  by  measure. 
When  he  made  a decree  for  the  rain. 

And  a way  for  the  lightning  of  the  thunder  : 
Then  did  he  see  it,  and  declare  it ; 

He  prepared  it,  yea,  and  searched  it  out. 

And  unto  man  he  said.  Behold, 

The  fear  of  the  Lord,  that  is  wisdom  j 
And  to  depart  from  evil  is  understanding. 


Moreover  Job  continued  his  parable,  and  said. 

Oh  that  I were  as  in  months  past, 

As  in  the  days  when  God  preserved  me  ; 

When  his  candle  shined  upon  my  head. 

And  when  by  his  light  I walked  through  darkness 
As  I was  in  the  days  of  my  youth. 

When  the  secret  of  God  was  upon  my  tabernacle  ; 
When  the  Almighty  was  yet  with  me. 

When  my  children  were  about  me ; 

When  I washed  my  steps  with  butter. 

And  the  rock  poured  me  out  rivers  of  oil  ! 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


99 


When  I went  out  to  the  gate  through  the  city, 
When  I prepared  my  seat  in  the  street ; 

The  young  men  saw  me,  and  hid  themselves  : 

And  the  aged  arose,  and  stood  up. 

The  princes  refrained  talking. 


lOO 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  laid  their  hand  on  their  mouth. 

The  nobles  held  their  peace, 

And  their  tongue  cleaved  to  the  roof  of  their  mouth. 

When  the  ear  heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me ; 

And  when  the  eye  saw  me,  it  gave  witness  to  me  : 

Because  I delivered  the  poor  that  cried, 

And  the  fatherless,  and  him  that  had  none  to  help  him. 
The  blessing  of  him  that  was  ready  to  perish  came  upon  me  : 
And  I caused  the  widow’s  heart  to  sing  for  joy. 

I put  on  righteousness,  and  it  clothed  me : 

My  judgment  was  as  a robe  and  a diadem. 

I was  eyes  to  the  blind. 

And  feet  was  I to  the  lame. 

I was  a father  to  the  poor  : 

And  the  cause  which  I knew  not  I searched  out. 

And  I brake  the  jaws  of  the  wicked. 

And  plucked  the  spoil  out  of  his  teeth. 

Then  I said,  I shall  die  in  my  nest, 

And  I shall  multiply  my  days  as  the  sand. 

My  root  was  spread  out  by  the  waters, 

And  the  dew  lay  all  night  upon  my  branch. 

My  glory  was  fresh  in  me. 

And  my  bow  was  renewed  in  my  hand. 

Unto  me  men  gave  ear,  and  waited, 

And  kept  silence  at  my  counsel. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


lOI 


After  my  words  they  spake  not  again  ; 

And  my  speech  dropped  upon  them. 

And  they  waited  for  me  as  for  the  rain  ; 

And  they  opened  their  mouth  wide  as  for  the  latter  rain. 
If  I laughed  on  them,  they  believed  it  not ; 

And  the  light  of  my  countenance  they  cast  not  down. 

I chose  out  their  way,  and  sat  chief. 

And  dwelt  as  a king  in  the  army. 

As  one  that  comforteth  the  mourners. 

But  now  they  that  are  younger  than  I have  me 
in  derision. 


102 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Whose  fathers  I would  have  disdained  to  have  set  with  the 
dogs  of  my  flock. 

Yea,  whereto  might  the  strength  of  their  hands  profit  me, 
In  whom  old  age  was  perished  ? 

For  want  and  famine  they  were  solitary  ; 

Fleeing  into  the  wilderness  in  former  time  desolate 
and  waste. 

Who  cut  up  mallows  by  the  bushes. 

And  juniper  roots  for  their  meat. 

They  were  driven  forth  from  among  men, 

(They  cried  after  them  as  after  a thief ;) 

To  dwell  in  the  cliffs  of  the  valleys. 

In  caves  of  the  earth,  and  in  the  rocks. 

Among  the  bushes  they  brayed  ; 

Under  the  nettles  they  were  gathered  together. 

They  were  children  of  fools. 

Yea,  children  of  base  men  ; 

They  were  viler  than  the  earth. 

And  now  am  I their  song. 

Yea,  I am  their  byword. 

They  abhor  me,  they  flee  far  from  me. 

And  spare  not  to  spit  in  my  face. 

Because  he  hath  loosed  my  cord,  and  afflicted  me. 

They  have  also  let  loose  the  bridle  before  me. 

Upon  my  right  hand  rise  the  youth  ; 

They  push  away  my  feet. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


103 


And  they  raise  up  against  me  the  ways  of  their 
destruction. 

They  mar  my  path, 

They  set  forward  my  calamity, 

They  have  no  helper. 

They  came  upon  me  as  a wide  breaking  in  of  waters  : 

In  the  desolation  they  rolled  themselves  upon  me. 

Terrors  are  turned  upon  me  : 

They  pursue  my  soul  as  the  wind  : 

And  my  welfare  passeth  away  as  a cloud. 

And  now  my  soul  is  poured  out  upon  me ; 

The  days  of  affliction  have  taken  hold  upon  me. 

My  bones  are  pierced  in  me  in  the  night  season  : 

And  my  sinews  take  no  rest. 

By  the  great  force  of  my  disease  is  my  garment  changed  : 
It  bindeth  me  about  as  the  collar  of  my  coat. 

He  hath  cast  me  into  the  mire. 

And  I am  become  like  dust  and  ashes. 

I cry  unto  thee,  and  thou  dost  not  hear  me : 

I stand  up,  and  thou  regardest  me  not. 

Thou  art  become  cruel  to  me  : 

With  thy  strong  hand  thou  opposest  thyself  against  me. 
Thou  liftest  me  up  to  the  wind  j 
Thou  causest  me  to  ride  upon  it,  and  dissolvest 
my  substance. 


104 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOE, 


For  I know  that  thou  wilt  bring  me  to  death, 

And  to  the  house  appointed  for  all  living. 

Howbeit  he  will  not  stretch  out  his  hand  to  the  grave, 
Though  they  cry  in  his  destruction. 

Did  not  I weep  for  him  that  was  in  trouble  ? 

Was  not  my  soul  grieved  for  the  poor 

When  I looked  for  good,  then  evil  came  unto  me  : 

And  when  I waited  for  light,  there  came  darkness. 

My  bowels  boiled,  and  rested  not : 

The  days  of  affliction  prevented  me. 

I went  mourning  without  the  sun  ; 

I stood  up,  and  I cried  in  the  congregation. 

I am  a brother  to  dragons. 

And  a companion  to  owls. 

My  skin  is  black  upon  me. 

And  my  bones  are  burned  with  heat. 

My  harp  also  is  turned  to  mourning. 

And  my  organ  into  the  voice  of  them  that  weep. 

I made  a covenant  with  mine  eyes  ; 

Why  then  should  I think  upon  a maid  ? 

For  what  portion  of  God  is  there  from  above  ? 

And  what  inheritance  of  the  Almighty  from  on  high  ? 
Is  not  destruction  to  the  wicked  ? 

And  a strange  punishment  to  the  workers  of 
iniquity  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


105 

Doth  not  he  see  my  ways, 

And  count  all  my  steps 
If  I have  walked  with  vanity, 

Or  it  my  foot  hath  hasted  to  deceit ; 

Let  me  be  weighed  in  an  even  balance, 

That  God  may  know  mine  integrity. 

If  my  step  hath  turned  out  of  the  way, 

And  mine  heart  walked  after  mine  eyes, 

And  if  any  blot  hath  cleaved  to  mine  hands  ; 

Then  let  me  sow,  and  let  another  eat ; 

Yea,  let  my  offspring  be  rooted  out. 

If  mine  heart  have  been  deceived  by  a woman. 

Or  if  I have  laid  wait  at  my  neighbour’s  door  ; 

Then  let  my  wife  grind  unto  another. 

And  let  others  bow  down  upon  her. 

For  this  is  an  heinous  crime  ; 

Yea,  it  is  an  iniquity  to  be  punished  by  the  judges. 

For  it  is  a fire  that  consumeth  to  destruction. 

And  would  root  out  all  mine  increase. 

If  I did  despise  the  cause  of  my  manservant 
Or  of  my  maidservant,  when  they  contended  with  me  j 
What  then  shall  I do  when  God  riseth  up 
And  when  he  visiteth,  what  shall  I answer  him  ? 

Did  not  he  that  made  me  in  the  womb  make  him 
And  did  not  one  fashion  us  in  the  womb  ? 


io6 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


If  I have  withheld  the  poor  from  their  desire, 
Or  have  caused  the  eyes  of  the  widow  to  fail ; 

Or  have  eaten  my  morsel  myself  alone, 

And  the  fatherless  hath  not  eaten  thereof ; 

(For  from  my  youth  he  was  brought  up  with  me, 
as  with  a father. 

And  I have  guided  her  from  my  mother■^s  womb  ;) 
If  I have  seen  any  perish  for  want  of  clothing. 

Or  any  poor  without  covering 
If  his  loins  have  not  blessed  me, 


THIi  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


107 


And  if  he  were  not  warmed  with  the  fleece  of 
my  sheep  ; 

If  I have  lifted  up  my  hand  against  the  fatherless, 

When  1 saw  my  help  in  the  gate  : 

'Then  let  mine  arm  fall  from  my  shoulder  blade, 

And  mine  arm  be  broken  from  the  bone. 

For  destruction  from  God  was  a terror  to  me, 

And  by  reason  oi  his  highness  I could  not  endure. 

If  I have  made  gold  my  hope, 

Or  have  said  to  the  fine  gold.  Thou  art  my  confldence  ; 
If  I rejoiced  because  my  wealth  was  great. 

And  because  mine  hand  had  gotten  much  ^ 

If  I beheld  the  sun  when  it  shined, 

Or  the  moon  walking  in  brightness  ; 

And  my  heart  hath  been  secretly  enticed. 

Or  my  mouth  hath  kissed  my  hand  : 

This  also  were  an  inicjuity  to  be  punished  by  the  judge  ; 
For  I should  have  denied  the  God  that  is  above. 

If  I rejoiced  at  the  destruction  of  him  that  hated  me. 

Or  lifted  up  myself  when  evil  found  him  : 

Neither  have  I suffered  my  mouth  to  sin 
By  wishing  a curse  to  his  soul. 

If  the  men  of  my  tabernacle  said  not. 

Oh  that  we  had  of  his  flesh  ! we  cannot  be  satisfied. 
'Fhe  stranger  did  not  lodge  in  the  street : 


io8 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


But  I opened  my  doors  to  the  traveller. 

If  I covered  my  transgressions  as  Adam, 

By  hiding  mine  iniquity  in  my  bosom  : 

Did  I fear  a great  multitude, 

Or  did  the  contempt  of  families  terrify  me. 

That  I kept  silence,  and  went  not  out  of  the  door 


Oh  that  one  would  hear  me  ! 

Behold,  my  desire  is,  that  the  Almighty  would  answer  me. 
And  that  mine  adversary  had  written  a book. 

Surely  I would  take  it  upon  my  shoulder. 

And  bind  it  as  a crown  to  me. 

I would  declare  unto  him  the  number  of  my  steps  ; 

As  a prince  would  I go  near  unto  him. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


109 

If  my  land  cry  against  me,  or  that  the  furrows  likewise 
thereof  complain  ; 

If  I have  eaten  the  fruits  thereof  without  money, 

Or  have  caused  the  owners  thereof  to  lose  their  life  : 

Let  thistles  grow  instead  of  wheat,  and  cockle  instead  of 
barley. 


The  words  of  Job  are  ended. 


"V 


PART  IV. 


E L I H U 


So  these  three  men  ceaseei  to  answer  Job,  because  he  was  righteous 
in  his  own  eyes. 

Then  was  kindled  the  wrath  of  Elihu  the  son  of  Barachel 
the  Buzite,  of  the  kindred  of  Ram  : against  Job  was  his  wrath 
kindled,  because  he  justified  himself  rather  than  God.  Also 


Q 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


II4 


against  his  three  friends  was  his  wrath  kindled,  because  they  had 
found  no  answer,  and  yet  had  condemned  Job.  Now  Elihu  had 
waited  till  Job  had  spoken,  because  they  were  elder  than  he. 
When  Elihu  saw  that  there  was  no  answer  in  the  mouth  of  these 
three  men,  then  his  wrath  was  kindled.  And  Elihu  the  son  of 
Barachel  the  Buzite  answered  and  said, 

I am  young,  and  ye  are  very  old  ; 

Wherefore  I was  afraid. 

And  durst  not  show  you  mine  opinion. 

I said.  Days  should  speak. 

And  multitude  of  years  should  teach  wisdom. 

But  there  is  a spirit  in  man  : 

And  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth  them  understanding. 
Great  men  are  not  always  wise  : 

Neither  do  the  aged  understand  judgment. 

Therefore  I said.  Hearken  to  me  ; 

I also  will  show  mine  opinion. 

Behold,  I waited  for  your  words  ; 

I gave  ear  to  your  reasons. 

Whilst  ye  searched  out  what  to  say. 

Yea,  I attended  unto  you. 

And,  behold,  there  was  none  of  you  that  convinced  Job, 

Or  that  answered  his  words  : 

Lest  ye  should  say.  We  have  found  out  wisdom  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


II5 


God  thrusteth  him  down,  not  man. 

Now  he  hath  not  directed  his  words  against  me  : 
Neither  will  I answer  him  with  your  speeches. 

They  were  amazed,  they  answered  no  more  ; 
They  left  off  speaking. 

When  I had  waited,  (for  they  spake  not. 

But  stood  still,  and  answered  no  more  ;) 

I said,  I will  answer  also  my  part, 

I also  will  show  mine  opinion. 

For  I am  full  of  matter. 

The  spirit  within  me  constraineth  me. 

Behold,  my  belly  is  as  wine  which  hath  no  vent ; 

It  is  ready  to  burst  like  new  bottles. 

I will  speak,  that  I may  be  refreshed  : 

I will  open  my  lips  and  answer. 

Let  me  not,  I pray  you,  accept  any  man’s  person. 
Neither  let  me  give  flattering  titles  unto  man. 

For  I know  not  to  give  flattering  titles  •, 

In  so  doing  my  Maker  would  soon  take  me  away. 

Wherefore,  Job,  I pray  thee,  hear  my  speeches. 
And  hearken  to  all  my  words. 

Behold,  now  I have  opened  my  mouth. 

My  tongue  hath  spoken  in  my  mouth. 

My  words  shall  be  of  the  uprightness  of  my  heart : 


i6 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  my  lips  shall  utter  knowledge  clearly. 

The  Spirit  of  God  hath  made  me, 

And  the  breath  of  the  Almighty  hath  given  me  life. 
If  thou  canst  answer  me, 

Set  thy  words  in  order  before  me,  stand  up. 

Behold,  I am  according  to  thy  wish  in  God’s  stead  : 
I also  am  formed  out  of  the  clay. 

Behold,  my  terror  shall  not  make  thee  afraid. 
Neither  shall  my  hand  be  heavy  upon  thee. 

Surely  thou  hast  spoken  in  mine  hearing. 

And  I have  heard  the  voice  of  thy  words,  saying, 

I am  clean  without  transgression,  I am  innocent ; 
Neither  is  there  iniquity  in  me. 

Behold,  he  findeth  occasions  against  me. 

He  counteth  me  for  his  enemy. 

He  putteth  my  feet  in  the  stocks. 

He  marketh  all  my  paths. 

Behold,  in  this  thou  art  not  just : 

I will  answer  thee,  that  God  is  greater  than  man. 

Why  dost  thou  strive  against  him 
For  he  giveth  not  account  of  any  of  his  matters. 

For  God  speaketh  once,  yea  twice. 

Yet  man  perceiveth  it  not. 

In  a dream,  in  a vision  of  the  night. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


117 


When  deep  sleep  falleth  upon  men,  in  slumberings 
upon  the  bed  ; 

Then  he  openeth  the  ears  of  men, 

And  sealeth  their  instruction, 

That  he  may  withdraw  man  from  his  purpose, 

And  hide  pride  from  man. 

He  keepeth  back  his  soul  from  the  pit. 

And  his  life  from  perishing  by  the  sword. 

He  is  chastened  also  with  pain  upon  his  bed, 

And  the  multitude  of  his  bones  with  strong  pain  ; 

So  that  his  life  abhorreth  bread, 

And  his  soul  dainty  meat. 

His  flesh  is  consumed  away,  that  it  cannot  be  seen  ; 

And  his  bones  that  were  not  seen  stick  out. 

Yea,  his  soul  draweth  near  unto  the  grave, 

And  his  life  to  the  destroyers. 

If  there  be  a messenger  with  him, 

An  interpreter,  one  among  a thousand. 

To  show  unto  man  his  uprightness  : 

Then  he  is  gracious  unto  him,  and  saith. 

Deliver  him  from  going  down  to  the  pit : 

I have  found  a ransom. 

His  flesh  shall  be  fresher  than  a child’s  : 

He  shall  return  to  the  days  of  his  youth  : 

He  shall  pray  unto  God,  and  he  will  be  favourable  unto  him 


II 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


I I 8 


And  he  shall  see  his  face  with  joy  : 

For  he  will  render  unto  man  his  righteousness. 

He  looketh  upon  men,  and  if  any  say, 

I have  sinned,  and  perverted  that  which  was  right. 
And  it  profited  me  not  j 

He  will  deliver  his  soul  from  going  into  the  pit. 
And  his  life  shall  see  the  light. 

Lo,  all  these  things 
Worketh  God  oftentimes  with  man. 

To  bring  back  his  soul  from  the  pit. 

To  be  enlightened  with  the  light  of  the  living. 

Mark  well,  O Job,  hearken  unto  me  : 

Hold  thy  peace,  and  I will  speak. 

If  thou  hast  any  thing  to  say,  answer  me  : 

Speak,  for  I desire  to  justify  thee. 

If  not,  hearken  unto  me  : 

Hold  thy  peace,  and  I shall  teach  thee  wisdom. 

Furthermore  Elihu  answered  and  said, 

Hear  my  words,  O ye  wise  men  ; 

And  give  ear  unto  me,  ye  that  have  knowledge. 
For  the  ear  trieth  words. 

As  the  mouth  tasteth  meat. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


I 19 


Let  us  choose  to  us  j'udgment : 

Let  us  know  among  ourselves  what  is  good. 

For  Job  hath  said,  I am  righteous  : 

And  God  hath  taken  away  my  judgment. 

Should  I lie  against  my  right  ? 

My  wound  is  incurable  without  transgression. 

What  man  is  like  Job, 

Who  drinketh  up  scorning  like  water  ? 

Which  goeth  in  company  with  the  workers  of  iniquity. 
And  walketh  with  wicked  men. 

For  he  hath  said.  It  profiteth  a man  nothing 
That  he  should  delight  himself  with  God. 

Therefore  hearken  unto  me,  ye  men  of  understanding  : 
Far  be  it  from  God,  that  he  should  do  wickedness  *, 

And  from  the  Almighty,  that  he  should  commit  iniquity. 
For  the  work  of  a man  shall  he  render  unto  him, 

And  cause  every  man  to  find  according  to  his  ways. 

Yea,  surely  God  will  not  do  wdckedly. 

Neither  will  the  Almighty  pervert  judgment. 

Who  hath  given  him  a charge  over  the  earth  ^ 

Or  who  hath  disposed  the  whole  world  ? 

If  he  set  his  heart  upon  man. 

If  he  gather  unto  himself  his  spirit  and  his  breath  •, 

All  flesh  shall  perish  together, 

And  man  shall  turn  again  unto  dust. 


120 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


If  now  thou  hast  understanding,  hear  this  : 

Hearken  to  the  voice  of  my  words. 

Shall  even  he  that  hateth  right  govern  ? 

And  wilt  thou  condemn  him  that  is  most  just  ? 

Is  it  fit  to  say  to  a king,  Thou  art  wicked  ? 

And  to  princes,  Ye  are  ungodly  ? 

How  much  less  to  him  that  accepteth  not  the  persons  of  princes, 
Nor  regardeth  the  rich  more  than  the  poor  ? 

For  they  all  are  the  work  of  his  hands. 

In  a moment  shall  they  die, 

And  the  people  shall  be  troubled  at  midnight,  and  pass  away  : 
And  the  mighty  shall  be  taken  away  without  hand. 

For  his  eyes  are  upon  the  ways  of  man. 

And  he  seeth  all  his  goings. 

There  is  no  darkness,  nor  shadow  of  death. 

Where  the  workers  of  iniquity  may  hide  themselves. 

For  he  will  not  lay  upon  man  more  than  right  j 
That  he  should  enter  into  judgment  with  God. 

He  shall  break  in  pieces  mighty  men  without  number. 

And  set  others  in  their  stead. 

Therefore  he  knoweth  their  works. 

And  he  overturneth  them  in  the  night,  so  that  they  are 
destroyed. 

He  striketh  them  as  wicked  men 
In  the  open  sight  of  others  ; 

Because  they  turned  back  from  him. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


12  1 


And  would  not  consider  any  of  his  ways  : 

vSo  that  they  cause  the  cry  of  the  poor  to  come  unto  him, 

And  he  heareth  the  cry  of  the  afflicted. 

When  he  giveth  quietness,  who  then  can  make  trouble  ? 

And  when  he  hideth  his  face,  who  then  can  behold  him  ? 
Whether  it  be  done  against  a nation,  or  against  a man  only  : 
That  the  hypocrite  reign  not, 

Lest  the  people  be  ensnared. 

Surely  it  is  meet  to  be  said  unto  God, 

1 have  borne  chastisement,  I will  not  offend  any  more  ; 

That  which  I see  not  teach  thou  me  : 

If  I have  done  iniquity,  I will  do  no  more. 

Should  it  be  according  to  thy  mind  ? he  will  recompense  it. 
Whether  thou  refuse,  or  whether  thou  choose ; and  not  I : 
Therefore  speak  what  thou  knowest. 

Let  men  of  understanding  tell  me. 

And  let  a wise  man  hearken  unto  me. 

Job  hath  spoken  without  knowledge. 

And  his  words  were  without  wisdom. 

My  desire  is  that  Job  may  be  tried  unto  the  end 
Because  of  his  answers  for  wicked  men. 

For  he  addeth  rebellion  unto  his  sin. 

He  clappeth  his  hands  among  us. 

And  multiplieth  his  words  against  God. 


122 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Elihu  spake  moreover,  and  said, 

Thiiikest  thou  this  to  be  right,  that  thou  saidst, 

My  righteousness  is  more  than  God’s 
For  thou  saidst.  What  advantage  will  it  be  unto  thee  ? 
And,  What  profit  shall  I have,  if  I be  cleansed  from  my  sin  ? 
I will  answer  thee, 

And  thy  companions  with  thee. 

Look  unto  the  heavens,  and  see  ; 

And  behold  the  clouds  which  are  higher  than  thou. 

If  thou  sinnest,  what  doest  thou  against  him 
Or  if  thy  transgressions  be  multiplied,  what  doest  thou 
unto  him  ? 

If  thou  be  righteous,  what  givest  thou  him  ? 

Or  what  receiveth  he  of  thine  hand  ? 

Thy  wickedness  may  hurt  a man  as  thou  art ; 

And  thy  righteousness  may  profit  the  son  of  man. 

By  reason  of  the  multitude  of  oppressions  they  make  the 
oppressed  to  cry  : 

They  cry  out  by  reason  of  the  arm  of  the  mighty. 

But  none  saith,  Where  is  God  my  Maker, 

Who  giveth  songs  in  the  night  j 

Who  teacheth  us  more  than  the  beasts  of  the  earth, 

And  maketh  us  wiser  than  the  fowls  of  heaven  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


I 


There  they  cry,  but  none  giveth  answer, 

Because  of  the  pride  of  evil  men. 

Surely  God  will  not  hear  vanity. 

Neither  will  the  Almighty  regard  it. 

Although  thou  sayest  thou  shalt  not  see  him, 

Yet  judgment  is  before  him  ; 

Therefore  trust  thou  in  him. 

But  now,  because  it  is  not  so,  he  hath  visited  in  his  anger 
Yet  he  knoweth  it  not  in  great  extremity  : 

Therefore  doth  Job  open  his  mouth  in  vain  ; 

He  multiplieth  words  without  knowledge. 


Elihu  also  proceeded,  and  said. 

Suffer  me  a little,  and  I will  show  thee 
That  I have  yet  to  speak  on  God’s  behalf. 

I will  fetch  my  knowledge  from  afar. 

And  will  ascribe  righteousness  to  my  Maker, 

For  truly  my  words  shall  not  be  false  : 

He  that  is  perfect  in  knowledge  is  with  thee. 

Behold,  God  is  mighty,  and  despiseth  not  any  : 
He  is  mighty  in  strength  and  wisdom. 

He  preserveth  not  the  life  of  the  wicked  : 

But  giveth  right  to  the  poor. 


J24 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


He  wlthdraweth  not  his  eyes  from  the  righteous  : 

But  with  kings  are  they  on  the  throne  *, 

Yea,  he  doth  establish  them  for  ever,  and  they  are  exalted. 
And  if  they  be  bound  in  fetters. 

And  be  holden  in  cords  of  affliction  ; 

Then  he  showeth  them  their  work, 

And  their  transgressions  that  they  have  exceeded. 

He  openeth  also  their  ear  to  discipline, 

And  commandeth  that  they  return  from  iniquity. 

If  they  obey  and  serve  him. 

They  shall  spend  their  days  in  prosperity, 

And  their  years  in  pleasures. 

But  if  they  obey  not,  they  shall  perish  by  the  sword. 

And  they  shall  die  without  knowledge. 

But  the  hypocrites  in  heart  heap  up  wrath  : 

They  cry  not  when  he  bindeth  them. 

They  die  in  youth. 

And  their  life  is  among  the  unclean. 

He  delivereth  the  poor  in  his  affliction. 

And  openeth  their  ears  in  oppression. 

Even  so  would  he  have  removed  thee  out  of  the  strait 
Into  a broad  place,  where  there  is  no  straitness  ; 

And  that  which  should  be  set  on  thy  table  should  be  full 
of  fatness. 

But  thou  hast  fulfilled  the  judgment  of  the  wicked  : 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Judgment  and  justice  take  hold  on  thee. 

Because  there  is  wrath,  beware  lest  he  take  thee  away 
with  his  stroke  : 

Then  a great  ransom  cannot  deliver  thee. 

Will  he  esteem  thy  riches  ? 

No,  not  gold,  nor  all  the  forces  of  strength. 

Desire  not  the  night. 

When  people  are  cut  off'  in  their  place. 

Take  heed,  regard  not  iniquity  : 

For  this  hast  thou  chosen  rather  than  affliction. 

Behold,  God  exalteth  by  his  power  : 

Who  teacheth  like  him  ? 

Who  hath  enjoined  him  his  way  ? 

Or  who  can  say.  Thou  hast  wrought  iniquity  ? 
Remember  that  thou  magnify  his  work. 

Which  men  behold. 

Every  man  may  see  it ; 

Man  may  behold  it  afar  off. 

Behold,  God  is  great,  and  we  know  him  not. 

Neither  can  the  number  of  his  years  be  searched  out. 
For  he  maketh  small  the  drops  of  water  ; 

They  pour  down  rain  according  to  the  vapour  thereof 
Which  the  clouds  do  drop 
And  distil  upon  man  abundantly. 

Also  can  any  understand  the  spreadings  of  the  clouds. 


126 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Or  the  noise  of  his  tabernacle  ? 

Behold,  he  spreadeth  his  light  upon  it, 

And  covereth  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

For  by  them  judgeth  he  the  people  ; 

He  giveth  meat  in  abundance. 

With  clouds  he  covereth  the  light  •, 

And  commandeth  it  not  to  shine  by  the  cloud  that 
cometh  betwixt. 

The  noise  thereof  showeth  concerning  it. 

The  cattle  also  concerning  the  vapour. 

At  this  also  my  heart  trembleth. 

And  is  moved  out  of  his  place. 

Hear  attentively  the  noise  of  his  voice. 

And  the  sound  that  goeth  out  of  his  mouth. 

He  directeth  it  under  the  whole  heaven. 

And  his  lightning  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

After  it  a voice  roareth  : 

He  thundereth  with  the  voice  of  his  excellency  ; 

And  he  will  not  stay  them  when  his  voice  is  heard. 
God  thundereth  marvellously  with  his  voice  *, 

Great  things  doeth  he,  which  we  cannot  comprehend. 
For  he  saith  to  the  snow.  Be  thou  on  the  earth  ; 
Likewise  to  the  small  rain,  and  to  the  great  rain 
of  his  strength. 

He  sealeth  up  the  hand  of  every  man ; 


That  all  men  may  know  his  work. 

Then  the  beasts  go  into  dens, 

And  remain  in  their  places. 

Out  of  the  south  cometh  the  whirlwind  : 

And  cold  out  of  the  north. 

By  the  breath  of  God  frost  is  given  : 

And  the  breadth  of  the  waters  is  straitened. 
Also  by  watering  he  wearieth  the  thick  cloud  : 


28 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


He  scattereth  his  bright  cloud  : 

And  it  is  turned  round  about  by  his  counsels  : 

That  they  may  do  whatsoever  he  commandeth  them 
Upon  the  face  of  the  world  in  the  earth. 

He  causeth  it  to  come,  whether  for  correction, 

Or  for  his  land,  or  for  mercy. 

Hearken  unto  this,  O Job  : 

Stand  still,  and  consider  the  wondrous  works  of  God. 

Dost  thou  know  when  God  disposed  them. 

And  caused  the  light  of  his  cloud  to  shine  ^ 

Dost  thou  know  the  balancings  of  the  clouds. 

The  wondrous  works  of  him  which  is  perfect  in  knowledge  ? 
How  thy  garments  are  warm. 

When  he  quieteth  the  earth  by  the  south  wind  ? 

Hast  thou  with  him  spread  out  the  sky. 

Which  is  strong,  and  as  a molten  looking  glass  ? 

Teach  us  what  we  shall  say  unto  him  ; 

For  we  cannot  order  our  speech  by  reason  of  darkness. 

Shall  it  be  told  him  that  I speak  ? 

If  a man  speak,  surely  he  shall  be  swallowed  up. 

And  now  men  see  not  the  bright  light  which 
is  in  the  clouds  : 

But  the  wind  passeth,  and  cleanseth  them. 

Fair  weather  cometh  out  of  the  north  ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


29 


With  God  is  terrible  majesty. 

Touching  the  Almighty,  we  cannot  find  him  out : 
He  is  excellent  in  power,  and  in  judgment. 

And  in  plenty  of  justice  : he  will  not  afflict, 
j Men  do  therefore  fear  him  : 

j He  respecteth  not  any  that  are  wise  of  heart. 

i 


. I 

I 


I 


PART  V. 


THE  DIVINE  ARBITER 


Then  the  LORD  answered  Job  out  of  the  whirlwind,  and  said, 

Who  is  this  that  darkeneth  counsel 
By  words  without  knowledge  ? 

Gird  up  now  thy  loins  like  a man  ; 

For  I will  demand  of  thee,  and  answer  thou  me. 

Where  wast  thou  when  I laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth  ? 
Declare,  if  thou  hast  understanding. 

Who  hath  laid  the  measures  thereof,  if  thou  kncwest  ? 

Or  who  hath  stretched  the  line  upon  it  ^ 


34 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Whereupon  are  the  foundations  thereof  fastened  ? 

Or  who  laid  the  corner  stone  thereof ; 

When  the  morning  stars  sang  together, 

And  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy  ? 

Or  who  shut  up  the  sea  with  doors, 

When  it  brake  forth,  as  if  it  had  issued  out  of  the  womb  ? 
When  I made  the  cloud  the  garment  thereof, 

And  thick  darkness  a swaddlingband  for  it. 

And  brake  up  for  it  my  decreed  place. 

And  set  bars  and  doors. 

And  said,  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come,  but  no  further  : 

And  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed  ? 

Hast  thou  commanded  the  morning  since  thy  days  ; 
And  caused  the  dayspring  to  know  his  place ; 

That  it  might  take  hold  of  the  ends  of  the  earth, 

That  the  wicked  might  be  shaken  out  of  it  ? 

It  is  turned  as  clay  to  the  seal  *, 

And  they  stand  as  a garment. 

And  from  the  wicked  their  light  is  withholden. 

And  the  high  arm  shall  be  broken. 

Hast  thou  entered  into  the  springs  of  the  sea  ? 

Or  hast  thou  walked  in  the  search  of  the  depth  ? 

Have  the  gates  of  death  been  opened  unto  thee  ^ 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


135 


Or  hast  thou  seen  the  doors  of  the  shadow  of  death  ? 
Hast  thou  perceived  the  breadth  of  the  earth  ? 

Declare  if  thou  knowest  it  all. 


136 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Where  is  the  way  where  light  dwelleth  ? 

And  as  for  darkness,  where  is  the  place  thereof, 

That  thou  shouldest  take  it  to  the  bound  thereof. 

And  that  thou  shouldest  know  the  paths  to  the  house 
thereof  ? 

Knowest  thou  it,  because  thou  wast  then  born 
Or  because  the  number  of  thy  days  is  great  ? 

Hast  thou  entered  into  the  treasures  of  the  snow  ? 

Or  hast  thou  seen  the  treasures  of  the  hail, 

Which  I have  reserved  against  the  time  of  trouble, 
Against  the  day  of  battle  and  war  ? 

By  what  way  is  the  light  parted. 

Which  scattereth  the  east  wind  upon  the  earth  ? 

Who  hath  divided  a watercourse  for  the  overflowing 
of  waters. 

Or  a way  for  the  lightning  of  thunder  ; 

To  cause  it  to  rain  on  the  earth,  where  no  man  is  ; 

On  the  wilderness,  wherein  there  is  no  man  j 
To  satisfy  the  desolate  and  waste  ground  ; 

And  to  cause  the  bud  of  the  tender  herb  to  spring  forth  ? 

Hath  the  rain  a father  ^ 

Or  who  hath  begotten  the  drops  of  dew  ? 

Out  of  whose  womb  came  the  ice  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB.  I J7 

And  the  hoary  frost  of  heaven,  who  hath  gendered  it  ^ 

The  waters  are  hid  as  with  a stone, 

And  the  face  of  the  deep  is  frozen. 


Canst  thou  bind  the  sweet  influences  of  Pleiades, 
Or  loose  the  bands  of  Orion 
Canst  thou  bring  forth  Mazzaroth  in  his  season  ? 

Or  canst  thou  guide  Arcturus  with  his  sons 
Knowest  thou  the  ordinances  of  heaven  ? 


u 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


^3^ 


Can  St  thou  set  the  dominion  thereof  in  the  earth  ^ 

Canst  thou  lift  up  thy  voice  to  the  clouds, 

That  abundance  of  waters  may  cover  thee  ? 

Canst  thou  send  lightnings,  that  they  may  go. 

And  say  unto  thee.  Here  we  are  ? 

Who  hath  put  wisdom  in  the  inward  parts  ? 

Or  who  hath  given  understanding  to  the  heart  ? 

Who  can  number  the  clouds  in  wisdom  ? 

Or  who  can  stay  the  bottles  of  heaven. 

When  the  dust  groweth  into  hardness. 

And  the  clods  cleave  fast  together  ? 

Wilt  thou  hunt  the  prey  for  the  lion  ? 

Or  fill  the  appetite  of  the  young  lions. 

When  they  couch  in  their  dens. 

And  abide  in  the  covert  to  lie  in  wait  ? 

Who  provideth  for  the  raven  his  food  ? 

When  his  young  ones  cry  unto  God, 

They  wander  for  lack  of  meat. 

Knowest  thou  the  time  when  the  wild  goats  of  the 
rock  bring  forth  ? 

Or  canst  thou  mark  when  the  hinds  do  calve  ? 

Canst  thou  number  the  months  that  they  fulfil  ? 

Or  knowest  thou  the  time  when  they  bring  forth  ? 

They  bow  themselves,  they  bring  forth  their  young  ones. 
They  cast  out  their  sorrows. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Their  young  ones  are  in  good  liking,  they  grow  up  with  corn  ; 
They  go  forth,  and  return  not  unto  them. 


Who  hath  sent  out  the  wild  ass  free  ^ 

Or  who  hath  loosed  the  bands  of  the  wild  ass  ^ 
Whose  house  I have  made  the  wilderness. 


40 


'rHE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


And  the  barren  land  his  dwellings. 

He  scorneth  the  multitude  of  the  city, 

Neither  regardeth  he  the  crying  of  the  driver. 
The  range  of  the  mountains  is  his  pasture, 
And  he  searcheth  after  every  green  thing. 


Will  the  unicorn  be  willing  to  serve  thee. 

Or  abide  by  thy  crib  ? 

Canst  thou  bind  the  unicorn  with  his  band  in  the  furrow  ? 
Or  will  he  harrow  the  valleys  after  thee  ? 

Wilt  thou  trust  him,  because  his  strength  is  great  ^ 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


I4I 


Or  wilt  thou  leave  thy  labour  to  him  ? 

Wilt  thou  believe  him,  that  he  will  bring  home  thy  seed, 
And  gather  it  into  thy  barn  ? 


Gavest  thou  the  goodly  wings  unto  the  peacocks  ? 
Or  wings  and  feathers  unto  the  ostrich  ? 

Which  leaveth  her  eggs  in  the  earth, 

And  warmeth  them  in  dust. 

And  forgetteth  that  the  foot  may  crush  them. 

Or  that  the  wild  beast  may  break  them. 


142 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


She  is  hardened  against  her  young  ones,  as  though  they 
were  not  her’s  ; 

Her  labour  is  in  vain  without  fear  ; 

Because  God  hath  deprived  her  of  wisdom, 

Neither  hath  he  imparted  to  her  understanding. 

What  time  she  lifteth  up  herself  on  high. 

She  scorneth  the  horse  and  his  rider. 

Hast  thou  given  the  horse  strength  ? 

Hast  thou  clothed  his  neck  with  thunder 
Canst  thou  make  him  afraid  as  a grasshopper  ? 

The  glory  of  his  nostrils  is  terrible. 

He  paweth  in  the  valley,  and  rejoiceth  in  his  strength  ; 
He  goeth  on  to  meet  the  armed  men. 

He  mocketh  at  fear,  and  is  not  affrighted  ; 

Neither  turneth  he  back  from  the  sword. 

The  quiver  rattleth  against  him. 

The  glittering  spear  and  the  shield. 

He  swalloweth  the  ground  with  fierceness  and  rage  : 
Neither  believeth  he  that  it  is  the  sound  of  the  trumpet. 
He  saith  among  the  trumpets,  Ha  ! ha  ! 

And  he  smelleth  the  battle  afar  off. 

The  thunder  of  the  captains,  and  the  shouting. 

Doth  the  hawk  fly  by  thy  wisdom. 

And  stretch  her  wings  toward  the  south  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


143 


Doth  the  eagle  mount  up  at  thy  command, 

And  make  her  nest  on  high  ? 

She  dwelleth  and  abideth  on  the  rock, 

Upon  the  crag  of  the  rock,  and  the  strong  place. 
From  thence  she  seeketh  the  prey. 

And  her  eyes  behold  afar  off. 

Her  young  ones  also  suck  up  blood  : 

And  where  the  slain  are,  there  is  she. 


44 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


Moreover  the  LORD  answered  Job,  and  said, 

Shall  he  that  contendeth  with  the  Almighty  instruct  him  ? 
He  that  reproveth  God,  let  him  answer  it. 

Then  JOB  answered  the  Lord,  and  said. 

Behold,  I am  vile  ; what  shall  I answer  thee  ? 

I will  lay  mine  hand  upon  my  mouth. 

Once  have  I spoken  ; but  I will  not  answer  : 

Yea,  twice;  but  I will  proceed  no  further. 

'Then  answered  the  LORD  unto  Job  out  of  the  whirlwind, 
and  said. 

Gird  up  thy  loins  now  like  a man  : 

I will  demand  of  thee,  and  declare  thou  unto  me. 

Wilt  thou  also  disannul  my  judgment  ? 

Wilt  thou  condemn  me,  that  thou  mayest  be  righteous  ? 

Hast  thou  an  arm  like  God  ? 

Or  canst  thou  thunder  with  a voice  like  him  ? 

Deck  thyself  now  with  majesty  and  excellency  ; 

And  array  thyself  with  glory  and  beauty. 

Cast  abroad  the  rage  of  thy  wrath  : 

And  behold  every  one  that  is  proud,  and  abase  him. 

Look  on  every  one  that  is  proud,  and  bring  him  low  ; 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB 


H5 


And  tread  down  the  wicked  in  their  place. 
Hide  them  in  the  dust  together  *, 

And  bind  their  faces  in  secret. 


X 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Then  will  I also  confess  unto  thee 
That  thine  own  right  hand  can  save  thee. 

• Behold  now  behemoth,  which  I made  with  thee  ; 

He  eateth  grass  as  an  ox. 

Lo  now,  his  strength  is  in  his  loins. 

And  his  force  is  in  the  navel  of  his  belly. 

He  moveth  his  tail  like  a cedar  : 

The  sinews  of  his  stones  are  wrapped  together. 

His  bones  are  as  strong  pieces  of  brass  ; 

His  bones  are  like  bars  of  iron. 

He  is  the  chief  of  the  ways  of  God  : 

He  that  made  him  can  make  his  sword  to  approach  unto  him. 
Surely  the  mountains  bring  him  forth  food, 

Where  all  the  beasts  of  the  field  play. 

He  lieth  under  the  shady  trees. 

In  the  covert  of  the  reed,  and  fens. 

The  shady  trees  cover  him  with  their  shadow  ; 

The  willows  of  the  brook  compass  him  about. 

Behold,  he  drinketh  up  a river,  and  hasteth  not : 

He  trusteth  that  he  can  draw  up  Jordan  into  his  mouth. 

He  taketh  it  with  his  eyes  : 

His  nose  pierceth  through  snares. 

Canst  thou  draw  out  leviathan  with  an  hook  ? 

Or  his  tongue  with  a cord  which  thou  lettest  down  ? 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


147 


Canst  thou  put  an  hook  into  his  nose  ? 

Or  bore  his  jaw  through  with  a thorn 
Will  he  make  many  supplications  unto  thee  ? 
Will  he  speak  soft  words  unto  thee  ? 

Will  he  make  a covenant  with  thee  ? 

Wilt  thou  take  him  for  a servant  for  ever 
Wilt  thou  play  with  him  as  with  a bird 
Or  wilt  thou  bind  him  for  thy  maidens  ^ 

Shall  thy  companions  make  a banquet  of  him  ^ 


148 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Shall  they  part  him  among  the  merchants  ^ 

Canst  thou  fill  his  skin  with  barbed  irons 
Or  his  head  with  fish  spears  ? 

Lay  thine  hand  upon  him, 

Remember  the  battle,  do  no  more. 

Behold,  the  hope  of  him  is  in  vain  : 

Shall  not  one  be  cast  down  even  at  the  sight  of  him  ? 
None  is  so  fierce  that  dare  stir  him  up  : 

Who  then  is  able  to  stand  before  me  ? 

Who  hath  prevented  me,  that  I should  repay  him  ^ 
Whatsoever  is  under  the  whole  heaven  is  mine. 

I will  not  conceal  his  parts,  nor  his  power. 

Nor  his  comely  proportion. 

Who  can  discover  the  face  of  his  garment  ^ 

Or  who  can  come  to  him  with  his  double  bridle  ? 
Who  can  open  the  doors  of  his  face  ? 

His  teeth  are  terrible  round  about. 

His  scales  are  his  pride. 

Shut  up  together  as  with  a close  seal. 

One  is  so  near  to  another. 

That  no  air  can  come  between  them. 

They  are  joined  one  to  another. 

They  stick  together,  that  they  cannot  be  sundered. 

By  his  neesings  a light  doth  shine. 

And  his  eyes  are  like  the  eyelids  of  the  morning. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


Out  of  his  mouth  go  burning  lamps, 

And  sparks  of  fire  leap  out. 

Out  of  his  nostrils  goeth  smoke, 

As  out  of  a seething  pot  or  caldron. 

His  breath  kindleth  coals. 

And  a flame  goeth  out  of  his  mouth. 

In  his  neck  remaineth  strength. 

And  sorrow  is  turned  into  joy  before  him. 

The  flakes  of  his  flesh  are  joined  together  ; 

They  are  firm  in  themselves  ; they  cannot  be  moved. 
His  heart  is  as  firm  as  a stone ; 

Yea,  as  hard  as  a piece  of  the  nether  millstone. 

When  he  raiseth  up  himself,  the  mighty  are  afraid 
By  reason  of  breakings  they  purify  themselves. 

The  sword  of  him  that  layeth  at  him  cannot  hold  : 
The  spear,  the  dart,  nor  the  habergeon. 

He  esteemeth  iron  as  straw. 

And  brass  as  rotten  wood. 

The  arrow  cannot  make  him  flee  : 

Slingstones  are  turned  with  him  into  stubble. 

Darts  are  counted  as  stubble  : 

He  laugheth  at  the  shaking  of  a spear. 

Sharp  stones  are  under  him  : 

He  spreadeth  sharp  pointed  things  upon  the  mire. 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB, 


150 


He  maketh  the  deep  to  boil  like  a pot : 

He  maketh  the  sea  like  a pot  of  ointment. 
He  maketh  a path  to  shine  after  him  ; 

One  would  think  the  deep  to  be  hoary. 
Upon  earth  there  is  not  his  like, 

Who  is  made  without  fear. 

He  beholdeth  all  high  things  ; 

He  is  a king  over  all  the  children  of  pride. 


CONCLUSION 


Then  JOB  answered  the  Lord,  and  said, 

I know  that  thou  canst  do  every  thing. 

And  that  no  thought  can  be  withholden  from  thee. 
Who  is  he  that  hideth  counsel  without  knowledge  ? 
Therefore  have  I uttered  that  I understood  not  *, 
Things  too  wonderful  for  me,  which  I knew  not. 
Hear,  I beseech  thee,  and  I will  speak  : 

I will  demand  of  thee,  and  declare  thou  unto  me. 

I have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear  : 

But  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee. 

Wherefore  I abhor  myself. 

And  repent  in  dust  and  ashes. 


154 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


And  it  was  so,  that  after  the  Lord  had  spoken  these  words  unto 
Job,  the  Lord  said  to  Eliphaz  the  Temanite,  My  wrath  is  kindled 
against  thee,  and  against  thy  two  friends  : for  ye  have  not  spoken  of 
me  the  thing  that  is  right,  as  my  servant  Job  hath.  Therefore  take 
unto  you  now  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams,  and  go  to  my  servant 
Job,  and  offer  up  for  yourselves  a burnt  offering ; and  my  servant 
Job  shall  pray  for  you  : for  him  will  I accept : lest  1 deal  with 
you  after  your  folly,  in  that  ye  have  not  spoken  of  me  the  thing 
which  is  right,  like  my  servant  Job. 

So  Eliphaz  the  Temanite  and  Bildad  the  Shuhite  and  Zophar 
the  Naamathite  went,  and  did  according  as  the  Lord  commanded 
them  : the  Lord  also  accepted  Job. 

And  the  Lord  turned  the  captivity  of  Job,  when  he  prayed 
for  his  friends  : also  the  Lord  gave  Job  twice  as  much  as  he  had 
before.  Then  came  there  unto  him  all  his  brethren,  and  all  his 
sisters,  and  all  they  that  had  been  of  his  acquaintance  before,  and 
did  eat  bread  with  him  in  his  house : and  they  bemoaned  him,  and 
comforted  him  over  all  the  evil  that  the  Lord  had  brought  upon 
him  : every  man  also  gave  him  a piece  of  money,  and  every  one 
an  earring  of  gold. 

So  the  Lord  blessed  the  latter  end  of  Job  more  than  his 
beginning : for  he  had  fourteen  thousand  sheep,  and  six  thousand 


THE  BOOK  OF  JOB. 


155 


camels,  and  a thousand  yoke  of  oxen,  and  a thousand  she  asses. 
He  had  also  seven  sons  and  three  daughters.  And  he  called  the 
name  of  the  first,  Jemima  ; and  the  name  of  the  second,  Kezia ; 
and  the  name  of  the  third,  Keren-happuch.  And  in  all  the  land 
were  no  women  found  so  fair  as  the  daughters  of  Job  : and  their 
father  gave  them  inheritance  among  their  brethren. 

After  this  lived  Job  an  hundred  and  forty  years,  and  saw  his 
sons,  and  his  sons’  sons,  even  four  generations.  So  Job  died, 
being  old  and  full  of  days. 


NOTES 


NOTES. 


Page  2 I,  Chap.  iii.  3. 

“ Let  the  day  perish  nvhercin  I <was  hornL 

The  abrupt  energy  of  the  commencement  in  the  original  ( DV ) 
“ Perish  the  day  in  which  I was  born,”  hardly  gets  justice  from  the 
English  imperative,  Let  the  day  perish.”  Still  feebler  is  Luther’s 
“ Der  tag  miisse  verlohren  seyn,  darinnen  ich  gebohren  bln.”  True  to 
the  Hebrew,  the  Septuagint  begins,  a^oXoiro  7j  7^'upa  ; Schultens,  “ Pere- 
at  lux;”  Dr.  Mason  Good,  Miss  Smith,  Mr.  Wemyss,  and  Mr.  Noyes, 
“ Perish  the  day.” 

This  outburst  of  despondency  and  anguish  is  rendered  as  follows  in  a 
little  work  of  great  merit  and  great  modesty,  “ A Metrical  Version  of  the 
Book  of  Job,  designed  chiefly  for  the  use  of  Schools,”  (C.  Gilpin,  1852). 
We  do  not  know  if  any  more  has  been  published  than  the  first  part,  con- 
taining twenty  chapters. 

“ Woe  to  the  day  that  saw  my  birth. 

And  when  my  being  first  began. 

When  wept  the  babe  its  doom  of  earth 
As  weeps  the  man. 

Let  darkness  still  that  day  entomb. 

Unmark’d  of  God  with  eye  of  love  ; 

Let  not  one  ray  to  chase  its  gloom 
Shine  from  above. 


i6o 


NOTES. 


Because  my  course  it  failed  to  stay, 

As  stream  turn’d  to  its  source  again, 

Nor  on  life’s  threshold  barr’d  my  way 
To  care  and  pain. 

Why,  on  my  mother’s  lap  caress’d. 

Did  I not  yield  my  earliest  breath, 

And  on  her  bosom  hush’d  to  rest. 

Sank  not  in  death  ? 

Then  still  and  quiet  I had  lain. 

An  infant’s  grave  my  hidden  bed  j 
No  sound  of  earth  disturbs  again 
The  slumbering  dead. 

Though  kings  and  counsellors  have  made 
Their  tombs  apart  and  desolate, 

Y et  there,  in  mingled  dust,  are  laid 
Both  small  and  great. 

There  sleeps  the  prince,  whose  palace  hall 
Was  fill’d  with  gold  and  silver  store ; 

And  with  him  rests  the  captive  thrall — 

His  bondage  o’er. 

Forever  loos’d  the  prisoner’s  chain — 

The  bondsman  from  his  master  free — 

And  rest  doth  in  the  grave  remain 
For  all  but  me. 

’Twas  in  no  confidence  of  pride 
I held  the  gifts  of  love  divine — 

My  heart  in  fear  did  still  abide 
While  they  were  mine. 

Nor  yet  in  careless  rest,  nor  sloth. 

Nor  impious  thought  that  peace  must  last — 
When  sudden  fell  the  bolts  of  wrath. 

And  all  is  past ! ” 


NOTES, 


6 


Page  2 2,  Chap.  iii.  8. 

Let  them  curse  it  that  curse  the  dayL 

“ May  the  cursers  of  the  day  curse  it, 

Who  are  expert  to  exorcise  Leviathan.” — Umhreit, 

The  allusion  is  to  those  sorcerers  or  magicians,  who  charmed  serpents, 
and  who  pretended  to  have  power  over  dragons  and  imaginary  monsters. 


Page  23,  Chap.  iii.  14. 

“ Which  built  desolate  places  for  themsel’ves.’’* 

‘‘  Great  princes  have  great  playthings.  Some  have  play’d 
At  hewing  mountains  into  men,  and  some 
At  building  human  wonders  mountain  high. 

Some  have  amused  the  dull  sad  years  of  life 
(Life  spent  in  indolence,  and  therefore  sad) 

With  schemes  of  monumental  fame  ; and  sought 
By  pyramids  and  mausolean  pomp. 

Short-lived  themselves,  to  immortalize  their  bones.” 

The  Taskf  B.  V. 


Page  24,  Chap.  iii.  26. 

“ / <was  not  in  safety  T 

“ I have  no  rest,  I have  no  quiet, 

I am  never  still. 

And  fresh  storms  are  coming  ! ” — Umbreit. 

Page  25,  Chap.  iv.  6. 

“ Is  not  this  thy  fear 

“ Is  not  thy  piety  thy  hope  ? 

And  thine  uprightness  thy  confidence?” — Umbreit. 


z 


i62 


NOTES. 


Page  26,  Chap.  iv.  12. 

“ Now  a thing  was  secretly  brought  to  me., 

And  mine  ear  received  a little  thereof  A 

Nowhere  else  does  there  exist  so  sublime  a description  of  a mysterious 
apparition,  and  of  the  sensations  called  forth  in  the  beholder.  The  autho- 
rised version  gives  it  admirably : perhaps  the  1 6th  verse  might  be  improved 
by  omitting  the  italics,  so  as  to  bring  out  the  abruptness  of  the  original : 

It  stood  still,  but  I could  not  discern  the  form  thereof : — 

An  image  before  mine  eyes  : — 

Silence  ! — and  I heard  a voice. 

Nothing  can  surpass  the  epic  grandeur  with  which  the  beholder  describes 
the  prce-sentient  horror  which  pioneered  the  spirit’s  approach  : 

In  thoughts  from  the  visions  of  the  night, 

When  deep  sleep  falleth  on  men. 

Fear  came  upon  me,  and  trembling. 

Which  made  all  my  bones  to  shake. 

Then  a spirit  passed  before  my  face  ; 

The  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up. 

The  passage  in  “ Hamlet  ” which  is  constantly  adduced  as  a parallel, 
alongside  of  this  majestic  simplicity  has  a tone  of  rant  or  extravagance ; 

“ But  that  I am  forbid 
To  tell  the  secrets  of  my  prison-house, 

I could  a tale  unfold,  whose  lightest  word 
Would  harrow  up  thy  soul,  freeze  thy  young  blood. 

Make  thy  two  eyes,  like  stars,  start  from  their  spheres, 

Thy  knotty  and  combined  locks  to  part. 

And  each  particular  hair  to  stand  on  end. 

Like  quills  upon  the  fretful  porcupine.” 

The  descriptive  portion  of  the  following  metrical  rendering  by  Lord  Byron 
is  good : — 

“ A spirit  passed  before  me : I beheld 
The  face  of  immortality  unveil’d — 


NOTES. 


163 


Deep  sleep  came  down  on  every  eye  save  mine — 
And  there  it  stood, — all  formless, — but  divine  ; 
Along  my  bones  the  creeping  flesh  did  quake  5 
And  as  my  damp  hair  stiffen’d,  thus  it  spake : 

‘ Is  man  more  just  than  God  ? Is  man  more  pure 
Than  he  who  deems  even  Seraphs  Insecure  ? 
Creatures  of  clay — vain  dwellers  in  the  dust ! 

The  moth  survives  you,  and  are  ye  more  just  ? 
Things  of  a day ! you  wither  ere  the  night. 
Heedless  and  blind  to  Wisdom’s  wasted  light !’” 


Page  26,  Chap.  iv.  20. 

“ They  are  destroyed  from  morning  to  evening  T 

That  is,  “ BeHvixt  morning  and  evening  they  are  destroyed.”  They 
are  more  frail  than  the  ephemeris — a comparison  too  affecting  not  to  have 
been  countless  times  repeated. 

To  contemplation’s  sober  eye 
Such  Is  the  race  of  man, 

And  they  that  creep  and  they  that  fly 
Shall  end  where  they  began. 

Alike  the  busy  and  the  gay 
Shall  flutter  through  life’s  little  day 
In  fortune’s  varying  colours  dressed  : 

Brushed  by  the  hand  of  rude  mischance. 

Or  chilled  by  age,  their  airy  dance 
They  leave,  in  dust  to  rest.” — Gray. 


Page  29,  Chap.  v.  24. 

“ And  thou  shah  visit  thy  habitation.,  and  shalt  not  sinT 

Margin,  “not  err.”  (SLDnn  “The  sense  which  the  connection 

demands,  is  that  which  refers  the  whole  description  to  a man  who  is  on  a 
journey,  and  who  is  exposed  to  the  dangers  of  wild  beasts,  and  to  the  perils 
of  a rough  and  stony  way,  but  who  is  permitted  to  visit  his  home  without 
missing  it  or  being  disappointed.” — Barnes. 


64 


NOTES. 


Page  31,  Chap.  vi.  13. 

“ Is  not  my  help  in  me?'*'* 

“ Alas  ! there  is  no  help  to  me  in  myself ! 

For  reason  [or  deliverance,  Barnes^  is  surely 
driven  from  me.” — Good. 


Page  3 2 , Chap.  vi.  15. 

“ My  brethren  have  dealt  dece'itfully  as  a brook, 

And  as  the  stream  of  brooks  they  pass  away.** 

“ He  is  gone  from  the  mountain, 

He  is  lost  to  the  forest. 

Like  a summer-dried  fountain. 

When  our  need  was  the  sorest  ” 

S'lr  W.  Scott. 

Page  33,  Chap.  vi.  28. 

“ Now  therefore  be  content.** 

“ But  now  look  favourably  upon  me,  and  it  shall  appear  to  your  faces 
if  I lie.  Turn  ye  now  ; let  there  be  no  unrighteousness ; nay  turn  ye  ; still 
in  this  is  my  justification  ; whether  there  be  unrighteousness  in  my  tongue  ; 
or,  whether  my  sense  discerneth  not  injurious  things.” — Lee. 

That  is — Be  candid,  and  you  will  perceive  my  sincerity.  Give  me  a 
fair  hearing,  without  prejudice  (“unrighteousness”),  and  see  if  I am  not 
one  who  can  discern  betwixt  good  and  evil. 

Page  35,  Chap.  vii.  ic. 

“ He  shall  return  no  more  to  Ins  house.** 

“ Dark  house,  by  which  once  more  I stand 
Here  in  the  long  unlovely  street. 

Doors,  where  my  heart  was  used  to  beat 
So  quickly,  waiting  for  a hand, — 


NOTES.  165 


A hand  that  can  be  clasp’d  no  more — 

Behold  me,  for  I cannot  sleep, 

And  like  a guilty  thing  I creep 
At  earliest  morning  to  the  door. 

He  is  not  here  ; but  far  away. 

The  noise  of  life  begins  again. 

And  ghastly  thro’  the  drizzling  rain. 

On  the  bald  streets  breaks  the  blank  day.” 

Tennyson’s  “ In  Memoriaruy^  vii. 

“ Neither  shall  his  place  know  him  any  morel'' 

“ Un watched,  the  garden  bough  shall  sway. 

The  tender  blossom  flutter  down. 

Unloved  that  beech  will  gather  brown. 

This  maple  burn  itself  away  ; 

Unloved  by  many  a sandy  bar. 

The  brook  shall  babble  down  the  plain. 

At  noon  or  when  the  lesser  wain 
Is  twisting  round  the  polar  star  ; . . . 

Till  from  the  garden  and  the  wild 
A fresh  association  blow. 

And  year  by  year  the  landscape  grow 
Familiar  to  the  stranger’s  child  ; 

As  year  by  year  the  labourer  tills 

His  wonted  glebe,  or  lops  the  glades ; 

And  year  by  year  our  memoiy  fades 
From  all  the  circle  of  the  hills.” 

“ In  Memoriam^''  xcix. 

Less  elaborate,  and  perhaps  still  more  affecting,  are  the  lines  on  “ The 
rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet : ” — 


NOTES, 


1 66 


“ The  breezy  call  of  incense-breathing  morn, 

The  swallow  twittering  from  the  straw-built  shed, 

The  cock’s  shrill  clarion,  or  the  echoing  horn. 

No  more  shall  rouse  them  from  their  lowly  bed. 

For  them,  no  more  the  blazing  hearth  shall  burn. 

Or  busy  housewife  ply  her  evening  care  ; 

No  children  run  to  lisp  their  sire’s  return. 

Or  climb  his  knees,  the  envied  kiss  to  share.” 

Gray’s  Elegy. 


Page  35,  Chap.  vii.  14. 

“ Then  thou  scarest  me  with  dreams.'*'* 

“ My  frame  of  nature  is  a ruffled  sea. 

And  my  disease  the  tempest. 

O ’tis  all  confusion  ! 

If  I but  close  my  eyes,  strange  sights 
In  thousand  forms  and  thousand  colours  rise. 

Stars,  rainbows,  moons,  green  dragons,  bears,  and  ghosts. 
An  endless  medley  rush  upon  the  stage. 

And  dance  and  riot  wild,  in  reason’s  court. 

Above  control.” 

Dr.  Isaac  Watts’s  Miscellaneous  Thoughts. 


Page  35,  Chap.  vii.  20. 

“ I have  s'lnnedd* 

“ Have  I sinned  ? What  have  I done  to  thee,  O thou  Observer  of 
Man  ?” 


Page  40,  Chap.  ix.  22. 

“ Th'is  is  one  thing.*"* 

“ It  is  all  one  ! [the  result  is  in  all  cases  the  same]  therefore  I say. 
Whether  guiltless  or  guilty — He  destroyeth. 


NOTES. 


167 


Here  doth  his  scourge  slay  suddenly ; 

There  doth  he  mock  the  sufferings  of  the  innocent  who  pine  away. 

The  land  is  given  into  the  hand  of  the  oppressor : 

He  veileth  the  countenance  of  his  judges. 

If  not  he — who  other  than  he  ?” — Umbreit. 

To  understand  the  alternations  of  bold  speculation  and  meek  submissive- 
ness,— the  contrition,  the  invective,  the  irony, — the  tone  by  turns  despairing 
and  defiant,  which  fluctuates  through  the  words  of  Job,  we  must  remember 
the  tempest  of  bodily  and  mental  anguish  on  which  he  was  tossed.  Had 
he  been  merely  thinking  aloud  we  should  have  expected  many  moods  and 
phases  of  feeling.  But  he  was  not  merely  thinking  aloud.  He  was 
defending  himself.  His  friends  had  so  far  placed  themselves  in  God’s 
stead,  and  the  advocacy  of  Jehovah,  as  they  conducted  it,  involved  an 
impeachment  of  Job.  The  consequence  is,  that  in  self-defence,  and  in 
replying  to  their  speeches,  he  is  led  to  throw  out  questions  and  problems 
as  to  the  divine  administration  which  he  knew  that  they  would  find  it 
hard  to  answer  and  solve.  Many  of  these  queries  are  rash  and  cannot  be 
commended.  But  allowance  must  be  made  for  the  circumstances  of  the 
speaker.  Job  is  not  a philosopher  among  his  disciples,  nor  a theologian 
in  his  study,  nor  is  he  even  a believer  in  his  closet ; but  he  is  a “ stricken 
deer  ” at  bay, — a victim  on  the  rack, — a sufferer  whom  anguish  and  mis- 
construction together  have  made  “ desperate.” 


Page  40,  Chap.  ix.  26. 

“ They  are  passed  anvay  as  the  swift  ships.'''’ 

Under  the  somewhat  doleful  title  of  “ Doodkiste,”  &c.,  or  “ Coffins  for 
the  Living,”  the  Dutch  poet  Jacob  Cats  has  amplified  the  ten  or  twelve 
similes  for  human  life  which  occur  in  the  book  of  Job.  Adopting  the 
rendering  of  the  Vulgate  and  some  other  versions,  “ naves  poma  portantes,” 
“ ships  freighted  with  summer  fruits,”  he  thus  expands  the  metaphor : — 


i68 


NOTES. 


Als  yemant  met  een  kaeg,  die  fruyten  heeft  geladen, 

Sich  op  de  reyse  geeft  en  na  de  marckten  spoet, 

Hy  snelt  met  alle  vlijt,  en ’t  is  hem  oock  geraden, 

Vermits  de  gansche  last  is  weeck  en  tanger  goet : 

Maer  schoon  hy  veerdig  zeylt,  noch  siet  hy  menig  werven, 

Dat  aen  het  beste  fruyt  het  edel  waes  vergaet ; 

Oock  siet  hy  menigmael  de  schoonste  vrucht  bederven, 

En  smackt  ’et  overboort  dat  hem  ten  diensten  staet. 

A1  gaet  ons  leven  ras,  al  snellen  onse  dagen, 

En  dat  ons  soetste  jeugd  gansch  veerdig  henen  schiet, 

Ons  trefFen  evenwel  geduurig  harde  slagen, 

En  druck  en  ongeval,  en  allerley  verdriet. 

Wy  sien  het  menigmael,  dat  onse  liefste  panden 
Zijn  van  een  stil  bederf,  of  ander  quael  geraeckt, 

Ons  oogen,  ons  gehoor,  ons  smaeck,  ons  beste  tanden, 

Zijn  ons  bywijlen  dood,  ooch  eer  de  doodt  genaeckt. 

De  vrienden,  die  ons  zijn  gelijch  als  eygen  leden, 

Ontvallen  ons  gestaeg,  en  sijgen  in  het  graf. 

Siet  wat  een  stagen  krijg  op  aerde  wordt  gestraden  : 

Ach  ! aertsche  vreugd  verstuyft  gelijch  als  ydel  kaf. 

Page  42,  Chap.  ix.  35. 

“ But  it  is  not  so  ^ith 

“ But  not  thus  could  I,  in  my  present  state. — Good. 

Page  43,  Chap.  x.  17. 

“ Changes  and  nvar  are  against  me.'*'* 

That  is,  Host  upon  host  of  afflictions,  like  fresh  relays  of  warriors  in 
battle,  assail  me. 


Page  45,  Chap.  xi.  6. 

“ And  that  he  nvould  shew  thee  the  secrets  of  wisdom.** 

The  original  is 

It  may  give  some  idea  of  the  difficulty  in  hitting  the  precise  import  of  a 
passage,  if  we  subjoin  a few  of  the  various  renderings  of  this  distich. 


NOTES. 


169 


“ Et  ob  oculos  poneret  signaturas  sapientiae, 

Quoniam  conduplicationes  sunt  quoad  summam  solidatam.” — Schultens. 

“ And  that  he  would  unfold  to  thee  the  secrets  of  wisdom 
(For  they  are  intricacies  of  iniquity).” — Good, 

“ That  he  might  shew  thee  (out  of  his  secret  wisdom)  how  manifold 
his  law  is.” — Miles  Conner  dale. 

“ And  shew  thee  that  the  treasures  of  wisdom  are  twofold  the  worth 
of  substance.” — Lee. 

“ In  order  to  reveal  to  thee  the  hidden  depths  of  wisdom  ! 

Yea,  wisdom  would  display  herself  to  thee  double.” — Umhreit. 

“ That  he  would  unfold  to  thee  the  secrets  of  wisdom  : 

Then  wouldst  thou  have  double  reason  to  remain  tranquil.” — Wemyss, 

“ And  would  declare  to  thee  the  secrets  of  wisdom, 

For  they  are  double  what  we  can  understand.” — Barnes. 

“ That  he  would  shew  thee  the  secrets  of  his  wisdom. 

His  wisdom,  which  is  unsearchable  ! 

Then  shouldst  thou  know  that  God  forgiveth  thee  many  of 
thine  iniquities.” — Noyes. 


Page  50,  Chap.  xiii.  12. 

Tour  remembrances  are  like  unto  ashes 

“ Your  sentences  of  wisdom  are  sentences  of  dust. 

Your  strongholds  are  become  strongholds  of  clay.” — Umhreit. 

When  God  appears  in  his  “ excellency,”  your  dicta  and  sage  aphorisms 
will  dissolve  like  ramparts  of  dust. 


2 A 


NOTES, 


170 


Page  5 1 , Chap.  xiv.  2 . 

“ He  cometh  forth  like  a Jlonver.^^ 

“ Thus  the  fair  lily,  when  the  sky’s  o’ercast, 

At  first  but  shudders  in  the  feeble  blast ; 

But  when  the  winds  and  weighty  rains  descend, 

The  fair  and  upright  stem  is  forc’d  to  bend: 

Till  broke,  at  length,  its  snowy  leaves  are  shed. 

And  strew  with  dying  sweets  their  native  bed.” 

“ The  Force  of  ReligionF — Dr.  Young. 

The  place  which  the  context  has  found  in  the  funeral  service  of  the 
Church  of  England  gives  it  associations  of  peculiar  pathos ; and  those 
familiar  with  Scottish  psalmody  cannot  readily  forget  Logan’s  exquisite 
paraphrase  : — 


“ All  nature  dies,  and  lives  again  : 

The  flower  that  paints  the  field. 

The  trees  that  crown  the  mountain’s  brow. 
And  boughs  and  blossoms  yield, 

Resign  the  honours  of  their  form 
At  Winter’s  stormy  blast. 

And  leave  the  naked  leafless  plain 
A desolated  waste. 

Yet  soon  reviving  plants  and  flowers 
Anew  shall  deck  the  plain  j 

The  woods  shall  hear  the  voice  of  spring. 
And  flourish  green  again. 

But  man  forsakes  this  earthly  scene, 

Ah!  never  to  return : 

Shall  any  foll’wing  spring  revive 
The  ashes  of  the  urn  ? 

The  mighty  flood  that  rolls  along 
Its  torrents  to  the  main. 

Can  ne’er  recall  its  waters  lost 
From  that  abyss  again. 


NOTES, 


So  days,  and  years,  and  ages  past. 

Descending  down  to  night. 

Can  henceforth  never  more  return 
Back  to  the  gates  of  light ; 

And  man,  when  laid  in  lonesome  grave. 

Shall  sleep  in  Death’s  dark  gloom, 

Until  th’  eternal  morning  wake 
The  slumbers  of  the  tomb. 

O may  the  grave  become  to  me 
The  bed  of  peaceful  rest. 

Whence  I shall  gladly  rise  at  length. 

And  mingle  with  the  blest !” 

The  latter  part  is  finely  rendered  by  James  Montgomery  : — 

“ As  fail  the  waters  from  the  deep. 

As  summer  brooks  run  dry, 

Man  lieth  down  in  dreamless  sleep  ; 

— Our  life  is  vanity. 

Man  lieth  down,  no  more  to  wake. 

Till  yonder  arching  sphere 
Shall  with  a roll  of  thunder  break. 

And  nature  disappear. 

— Oh  ! hide  me,  till  thy  wrath  be  past. 

Thou,  who  canst  kill  or  save ; 

Hide  me,  where  hope  may  anchor  fast, 

In  my  Redeemer’s  grave.” 


Page  52,  Chap.  xiv.  7. 

“ For  there  is  hope  of  a treeF 

“ Who  would  have  thought  my  shrivel’d  heart 
Could  have  recover’d  greennesse  \ It  was  gone 
Quite  under  ground  ; as  flowers  depart 
To  see  their  mother-root,  when  they  have  blown  ; 
Where  they  together 
All  the  hard  weather. 

Dead  to  the  world,  keep  house  unknown.’’ 


172 


NOTES. 


“ O that  I once  past  changing  were, 

Fast  in  thy  Paradise,  where  no  flower  can  wither ! ” 

“ The  Floaver^'  hy  George  Herbert, 

Page  53,  Chap.  xiv.  14. 

If  a man  die,  shall  he  live  again  ? ” 

“ And  he,  shall  he, 

Man,  her  last  work,  who  seem’d  so  fair. 

Such  splendid  purpose  in  his  eyes. 

Who  roll’d  the  psalm  to  wintry  skies. 

Who  built  him  fanes  of  fruitless  prayer. 

Who  trusted  God  was  love  indeed. 

And  love  Creation’s  final  law — 

Tho’  Nature,  red  in  tooth  and  claw 
With  ravine,  shriek’d  against  his  creed — 

Who  loved,  who  suffer’d  countless  ills. 

Who  battled  for  the  True,  the  Just, 

Be  blown  about  the  desert  dust. 

Or  seal’d  within  the  iron  hills  ?” 

“ In  Memoriamf  Iv. 


Page  5 4,  Chap.  xiv.  2 i . 

“ His  sons  come  to  honour,  and  he  knonveth  it  notl’’ 

“To  think  of  summers  yet  to  come 
That  I am  not  to  see  ; 

To  think  a weed  is  yet  to  bloom 

From  dust  that  I shall  be.” — Cranch. 


NOTES. 


173 


Page  57,  Chap.  xv.  4. 

“ Tea,  thou  easiest  off fear^ 

“ Truly  thou  dost  make  religion  void, 

And  dost  make  prayer  useless  before  God.” — Barnes. 

Page  58,  Chap.  xv.  ii. 

“ ylre  the  consolations  of  God  small  ninth  thee?’’' 

“ Are,  then,  the  mercies  of  God  of  no  account  with  thee  ? 

Or  the  addresses  of  kindness  before  thee  ? 

To  what  would  thy  heart  hurry  thee  ? 

And  to  what  would  thine  eyes  excite  thee  ?” — Good. 

Page  59,  Chap.  xv.  21. 

“ A dreadful  sound  is  in  his  ears.” 

“ And  look  at  Croesus,  old  and  sad. 

With  millions  in  his  store. 

With  parks  and  farms,  and  mines  and  mills. 

And  fisheries  on  the  shore  : — 

His  money  is  his  bane  of  life. 

He  dreads  the  workhouse  door. 

He  dreams  his  wife,  his  child,  his  friends. 

His  seiwants,  all  mankind. 

Are  leagued  to  plunder  and  deceive, — 

He  trembles  at  the  wind  : 

He  shakes  with  palsy  and  distrust — 

He  fares  like  beggar  kind. 

He  grudges  nature  half  the  ci*ust 
That  hungry  need  demands. 

And  sees  in  visions  of  the  day 
The  auction  of  his  lands  ; 

His  body  in  the  pauper’s  grave. 

His  gold  in  robber  hands.” 

Mackay’s  “ Lump  of  Gold.” 


174 


NOTES. 


Page  69,  Chap.  xix.  21. 

“ Have  pity  upon  me,  have  pity  upon  me,  0 ye  my  friends  ; 

For  the  hand  of  God  hath  touched  meF 

“ This,  of  all  maladies  that  man  infest, 

Claims  most  compassion,  and  receives  the  least : 

Job  felt  it,  when  he  groaned  beneath  the  rod 
And  the  barbed  arrows  of  a frowning  God  ; 

And  such  emollients  as  his  friends  could  spare. 

Friends  such  as  his  for  modern  Jobs  prepare. 

’Tis  not,  as  heads  that  never  ache  suppose. 

Forgery  of  fancy,  and  a dream  of  woes  ; 

Man  is  a harp,  whose  chords  elude  the  sight. 

Each  yielding  harmony  disposed  aright ; 

The  screws  reversed  (a  task  which  if  He  please 
God  in  a moment  executes  with  ease). 

Ten  thousand  thousand  strings  at  once  go  loose. 

Lost,  till  he  tune  them,  all  their  power  and  use.” 

Cowper’s  “ Retirement^ 


Page  69,  Chap.  xix.  25. 
u Pqj-  / Jifiov)  that  my  Redeemer  livethF 

There  is  no  passage  in  Job,  perhaps  none  in  the  Bible,  the  translation 
of  which  has  given  rise  to  so  much  controversy  as  this  and  the  following 
verses.  The  rendering  of  the  learned  Dr.  Samuel  Lee  is  almost  identical 
with  the  authorised  version.  The  following  is  offered  by  Dr.  Pye 
Smith  : — 

“ I surely  do  know  my  Redeemer,  the  Living  One  : 

And  He,  the  Last,  will  arise  over  the  dust. 

And,  after  the  disease  has  cut  down  my  skin, 

Even  from  my  flesh,  I shall  see  God : 

Whom  I shall  see  on  my  behalf  5 

And  mine  eyes  shall  behold  Him  and  not  estranged. 

— The  thoughts  of  my  bosom  are  accomplished.” 


NOTES. 


175 


Substantially  the  same  is  that  of  Dr.  Hales  : — 

I know  that  my  Redeemer  is  living, 

And  that  at  the  last  (day) 

He  will  arise  (in  judgment)  upon  dust  (mankind). 

And  after  my  skin  be  mangled  thus, 

Y et  even  from  my  flesh  shall  I see  God  5 
Whom  I shall  see  for  me  (on  my  side). 

And  mine  eyes  shall  behold  him  not  estranged, 

(Though)  my  reins  be  (now)  consumed  within  me.” 

In  his  “ New  Translation,”  Mr.  Noyes  gives  It  thus : — 

“Yet  I know  that  my  Vindicator  liveth. 

And  will  stand  up  at  length  on  the  earth ; 

And  though  with  my  skin  this  body  be  wasted  away. 

Yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I see  God. 

Yea,  I shall  see  him  my' friend  ; 

My  eyes  shall  behold  him  no  longer  an  adversary  5 
For  this  my  soul  panteth  within  me.” 

“ Oh ! that  my  words  were  written  now, — oh ! that  they  all  were  trac’d 
Upon  a scroll.  In  characters  that  could  not  be  effac’d ! 

On  leaden  tablets  graven  deep,  and  with  an  iron  pen, 

Ensculptur’d  In  the  living  rock,  forever  to  remain. 

I know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  in  the  latter  days, 

I know  that  He  on  earth  shall  stand,  and  vindicate  His  ways  ; 

And  though  my  body  waste  away,  and  worms  my  skin  corrode. 

Yet  in  my  flesh,  and  for  myself,  I shall  behold  my  God — 

Whom  then  mine  eyes  shall  look  upon,  not  in  another’s  guise. 

Though  now  my  reins  within  me  faint,  until  that  day  arise. 

And  ye  shall  say,  when  rooted  Arm  the  truth  is  in  me  found. 

Why  did  we  persecute  the  just,  and  with  reproaches  wound  ? ” 

Metrical  Version,  1852. 

In  the  eleventh  book  of  his  Messiah,  Klopstock  enumerates  those  saints 
whose  graves  he  imagines  opening,  and  their  bodies  arising  at  the  time  ot 
the  Crucifixion.  In  his  description  of  Job’s  resurrection  Is  it  not  a 
remarkable  oversight  that  he  has  not  introduced,  nor  in  any  way  adverted 
to  the  language  of  this  passage  ? Nevertheless,  it  Is  a sublime  description. 

^atte  fein  @rab  mit  Sd}atten  umpflanjct, 

Unb  er  fd)U)cbt’  in  bcm  it)el;enbcn  '^ain.  fd)icncn  bic  [en 
Seincg  tl)urmenbcn  @rabc§  t)or  i^m  fid)  inicbcr  ju  fcnfen, 


176 


NOTES. 


3c|o  fanfcn  fie ! ®d)nett  cntftiegen  ben  rul^enen  i^clfen 
SSolf.cn  inaUcnbcn  ©taubcg^  bod)  bli^tc  0fanj  aug  bem  0tauBe, 

Sfnbcrcr  0taub,  unb  anbercr  0ianj,  trie  er  je  nod)  gefc^en ! 

:Sa  cr  fid)  frcute  ber  ncuen  0rfd)einunv3  mit  frof)em  Sieffinn, 

0anf  er  cn^ucft  in  ben  jl:ral)tenben  0taub ! Sl)n  fa^e  fein  (Snget, 

SBie  cr  untcr  be§  ^anb  SiUmdd)ti3en  irurbe ! ber  0erap^ 

«!^iclt  fid)  nid)t,  ricf  gen  ^immel,.  in  feincr  SSonnc  gen  v^immel, 

:£aff  nor  bcS  SRufenbcn  0timme  ber  ^ain,  unb  bie  ^etfcn  erbebten ! 

.^iob  empfanb  e§ ! 0r  war,  nun  war  er  non  neucm  crfd)affen ! 

.^iclt  fid)  nid)t,  ricf  gen  v^immcl,  mit  jturjenben  SI)rdnen  gen  v^immet, 
:Daff  nor  beg  Stufcnbcn  0timme  ber  .^ain  unb  bie  g^elfen  erbebten, 

^cilig  ! '^eiiig  ! ^eitig  ! ift  ber,  ber  fcpn  wirb,  unb  fepn  wirb  ! 

Page  76,  Chap.  xxi.  17. 

“ Honv  oft  is  the  candle  of  the  kicked  put  out  P’^ 

This  would  be  better  pointed  as  a question.  The  whole  passage  down 
to  the  2 I St  verse  is  evidently  an  allusion  to  the  argument  of  Job’s  opponents, 
if  not  a repetition  of  their  language,  with  a view  to  its  refutation. 


Page  9 3 , Chap,  xxvii.  1 3 . 

“ 7'his  is  the  portion  of  a avicked  man  nvith  God.’’ 

From  this  verse  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  the  strain  is  so  different  from 
Job’s  ordinary  line  of  argument,  that  many  commentators  give  the  passage  in 
inverted  commas,  as  Job’s  quotation  of  his  friends’  assertions.  Mr.  Wemyss, 
in  his  instructive  and  ingenious  volume,  makes  it  a distinct  chapter,  and,  as 
others  had  already  done,  introduces  it  with  the  words  (supposed  to  have 
been  omitted  by  the  copyist)  “ Then  Zophar  the  Naamathite  answered 
thus.”  For  this,  however,  we  think  there  is  no  necessity.  As  Umbreit 
remarks,  “ Job  had  previously  exerted  himself  to  point  out  instances  of  the 
prosperity  of  the  wicked,  only  as  a defensive  contradiction  of  his  friends, 
who  were  always  taunting  him  with  his  misfortunes  as  a proof  of  guilt. 
But,  now  that  he  has  reduced  them  to  silence,  in  order  to  bring  them  to 


NOTES, 


177 


the  right  point  from  whence  to  judge  of  his  misfortunes,  he  admits  their 
favourite  doctrine  of  the  woes  of  the  ungodly  ; only  he  maintains  that 
nothing  is  thereby  proved,  for  his  innocence  stands  as  firm  and  sure  as  the 
misfortunes  consequent  on  wickedness.  Hence,  because  the  virtuous  also 
suffer,  there  must  be  other  mysterious  grounds  of  suffering  besides  guilt.  In 
this  way,  the  contest  comes  to  an  issue.  Without  this  apparent  contradiction 
in  Job’s  speeches,  the  interchange  of  words  would  have  been  endless.” 


Page  100,  Chap.  xxix.  ii. 

“ JVhen  the  ear  heard  me,  then  it  blessed  me^ 

Compare  also  Chap.  xxxi. 

“ Whose  causeway  parts  the  vale  with  shady  rows  ? 

Whose  seats  the  weaiy  traveller  repose  ? 

Who  taught  that  heaven-directed  spire  to  rise  ? 

‘ The  Man  of  Ross,’  each  lisping  babe  replies. 

Behold  the  market-place  with  poor  o’erspread  ! 

The  Man  of  Ross  divides  the  weekly  bread : 

He  feeds  yon  alms-house,  neat,  but  void  of  state. 

Where  Age  and  Want  sit  smiling  at  the  gate  : 

Him  portion’d  maids,  apprentic’d  orphans,  blest. 

The  young  who  labour,  and  the  old  who  rest. 

Is  any  sick  ? The  Man  of  Ross  relieves. 

Prescribes,  attends,  the  med’eine  makes  and  gives. 

Is  there  a variance  ? enter  but  his  door. 

Baulk’d  are  the  courts,  and  contest  is  no  more  ; 

Despairing  quacks  with  curses  fled  the  place. 

And  vile  attornies,  now  an  useless  race.” 

Pope.  Moral  Essays, 


NOTES 


178 


Page  107,  Chap.  xxxi.  26. 

“ Or  the  moon  ’walh'imr  in  brightness.’’'’ 

Ship-like,  full-breasted, 

Travelled  the  moon. 

Swift  as  a gondola 
In  a lagoon. 

Through  the  cloud-highlands 
In  silvery  glow. 

Through  the  white  islands 
Of  turretted  snow.” 

Mackay’s  ^‘‘Lump  of  Gold’’’ 


Page  107,  Chap.  xxxi.  31. 

“ If  the  men  of  my  tabernacle  said  not. 

Oh  that  <tue  had  of  his  flesh  ! nve  cannot  be  satisfed.^’’ 

“ Those  of  my  household  could  not  say 
That  any  one  had  not  filled  himself  with  my  flesh.” 

Umbreit. 

That  is,  there  was  never  an  instance  known  where  any  one  failed  to  be 
satisfied  with  my  hospitality. 


Page  108,  Chap.  xxxi.  34. 

“ Did  I fear  a great  multitude, 

Or  did  the  contempt  of  families  terrify  me. 

That  I kept  silence,  and  luent  not  out  of  the  door.’’’ 

“ Then  let  me  be  confounded  before  a great  multitude  ! 

Let  the  contempt  of  families  crush  me  ! 

Yea,  let  me  keep  silence,  and  never  go  out  of  my  door  ! ” 

Barnes. 


NOTES. 


179 


Page  128,  Chap,  xxxvii.  21. 

“ And  now  men  see  not  the  bright  light  which  is  in  the  clouds  A 

“ And  now — men  cannot  look  upon  the  bright  splendour  that 
is  on  the  clouds, 

For  the  wind  passeth  along,  and  maketh  an  opening  ! 

Golden  s])lendoui-  approaches  from  the  north  ; — 

How  fearful  is  the  majesty  of  God  ! 

The  Almighty  ! we  cannot  find  Him  out;” 

Desci  ibing  the  approach  of  Jehovah  in  his  chariot  of  cloud,  and  amidst  the 
peal  of  the  thunder. 

Page  134,  Chap,  xxxviii.  7. 

“ When  the  morning  stars  sang  together  A 

There’s  not  the  smallest  orb  which  thou  behold’st, 

But  in  his  motion  like  an  angel  sings. 

Still  choiring  to  the  young-eyed  cherubims  : 

Such  harmony  is  in  immortal  souls  ; 

But,  while  this  muddy  vesture  of  decay 
Doth  grossly  close  us  in,  we  cannot  hear  it.” 

Shakspeare. 

“ Thus  was  the  first  day  even  and  morn  : 

Nor  pass’d  uncelebrated,  nor  unsung 
By  the  celestial  quires,  when  orient  light 
Exhaling  first  from  darkness  they  beheld  ; 

Birth-day  of  heaven  and  earth  : with  joy  and  shout 
The  hollow  universal  globe  they  fill’d. 

And  touch’d  their  golden  harps,  and  hymning  praised 
God  and  his  works.” — Milton. 

Page  134,  Chap,  xxxviii.  8. 

“ Or  who  shut  up  the  sea  with  doors  F” 

'Phere  is  something  peculiarly  grand  in  this  account  of  the  bli  th  of  old 


8o 


NOTES. 


ocean.  When  the  Titanic  infant  leaped  to  light,  who  hung  with  a cloud- 
curtain  his  cradle,  and  clothed  him  in  a robe  of  thick  darkness  ? When 
in  exulting  prowess  he  threatened  to  swallow  up  the  world,  who  marked  off 
a play-ground  to  the  new-born  anarch,  and  said,  “ Hitherto  shalt  thou  come, 
but  no  further  : and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed?” — From  the 
time  when  its  noisy  fulness  sounded  in  Homer’s  ear,  and  its  multitudinous 
smile  gladdened  the  blind  minstrel’s  memory,  the  sea  has  sung  in  every 
poet ; according  to  temperament  or  accidental  circumstances,  a joyous  play- 
fellow as  in  Byron,  a mournful  and  mysterious  power  as  in  Mrs.  Hemans. 
Many  of  our  town-pent  readers  will  most  readily  sympathize  in  Campbell’s 
friendly  greeting  : — 

“ Hail  to  thy  face  and  odours,  glorious  Sea  ! 

’Twere  thanklessness  in  me  to  bless  thee  not, 

Great  beauteous  Being  ! in  whose  breath  and  smile 
My  heart  beats  calmer,  and  my  very  mind 
Inhales  salubrious  thoughts. 

Though  like  the  world  thou  fluctuatest,  thy  din 
To  me  is  peace,  thy  restlessness  repose. 

With  thee  beneath  my  windows,  pleasant  sea, 

I long  not  to  o’erlook  earth’s  fairest  glades 
And  green  savannahs — Earth  has  not  a plain 
So  boundless  or  so  beautiful  as  thine  ; 

The  lightning’s  wing,  too  weak  to  sweep  its  space. 

Sinks  half-way  o’er  it  like  a wearied  bird  : 

It  is  the  mirror  of  the  stars,  where  all 
Their  hosts  within  the  concave  firmament. 

Gay  marching  to  the  music  of  the  spheres. 

Can  see  themselves  at  once.” 


Page  134,  Chap,  xxxviii.  12. 

“ Hast  thou  commanded  the  morning?” 

“ Hast  thou,  in  thy  life,  given  commandment  to  the  morning, 
Or  caused  the  dawn  to  know  its  place. 


NOTES, 


i8i 


That  it  may  seize  on  the  far  corners  of  the  earth, 

And  scatter  the  robbers  before  it  ? 

It  turns  itself  along  like  clay  under  a seal, 

And  all  things  stand  forth  as  if  in  gorgeous  apparel.” 

Barnes. 

The  allusion  in  the  last  lines  is  apparently  to  the  cylindrical  seals  used 
in  Babylonia.  Just  as  such  a seal  rolls  over  the  clay,  and  there  Instantly 
stiirts  u]j  in  relief  a fine  group  of  objects,  so  the  dayspring  revolves  over  the 
space  which  the  darkness  made  “empty  and  void  and,  as  if  created  by 
the  movement,  all  things  stand  forth  in  brilliant  attire.  If  such  be  the 
allusion,  it  goes  far  to  shew  that  Uz  was  in  Chaldasa  or  its  confines,  where 
alone  such  imagery  was  likely  to  occur. 


Page  136,  Chap,  xxxviii.  24. 

“ By  nvhat  ^ay  is  the  light  parted.. 

Which  scatter eth  the  east  ivirul  upon  the  earth  r'” 

“ By  what  way  is  the  light  distributed  ? or  the  east  wind  dispersed  over 
the  earth  ?” — Lee. 


Page  136,  Chap,  xxxviii.  25. 

“ Who  hath  divided  a vuatercourse  for  the  overjlonving  of  waters  ; 

Or  a way  for  the  lightning  of  thunder.^^ 

Of  the  entire  Address  of  Jehovah,  an  admirable  jiaraphrase  is  given  by 
Dr.  Edward  Young.  In  a prefatory  note  he  reminds  us  that  “ Longinus 
has  a chapter  on  Interrogations,  which  shows  that  they  contribute  much  to 
the  sublime.  The  speech  of  the  Almighty  is  made  up  of  them.  Interro- 
gation seems,  indeed,  the  proper  style  of  majesty  incensed.” 

“ Who  launch’d  the  clouds  in  air,  and  bid  them  roll 
Suspended  seas  aloft,  from  pole  to  pole  ? 


i82 


NOTES. 


Who  can  refresh  the  burning  sandy  plain, 

And  quench  the  summer  with  a waste  of  rain  ? 
Who  in  rough  deserts,  far  from  human  toil. 
Made  rocks  bring  forth,  and  desolation  smile 


Page  139,  Chap,  xxxix.  6. 

“ Whose  house  I have  made  the  <iu  'ilderness  ^ 

The  home  of  the  wild  ass  and  the  ostrich  is  thus  described  by  one  who 
knew  light  well  both  the  desert  and  the  Book  Divine,  and  fiom  the  lips  of 
whose  widowed  partner  we  have  often  heard  glowing  recollections  of  their 
African  sojourn. 

“ Afar  in  the  desert  I love  to  ride. 

With  the  silent  Bush-boy  alone  by  my  side  ; 

Away — away  from  the  dwellings  of  men. 

By  the  wild  deer’s  haunt,  by  the  buffalo’s  glen  ; 

By  valleys  remote  where  the  oribi  plays. 

Where  the  gnu,  the  gazelle,  and  the  hartebeest  graze. 

And  the  kudu  and  eland  unhunted  recline 

By  the  skirts  of  grey  forests  o’erhung  with  wild  vine  ; 

Where  the  elephant  browzes  at  peace  in  his  wood. 

And  the  river-horse  gambols  unscared  in  the  flood. 

And  the  mighty  rhinoceros  wallows  at  will 
In  the  fen  where  the  wild-ass  is  drinking  his  fill. 

“ Afar  in  the  desert  I love  to  ride. 

With  the  silent  Bush-boy  alone  by  my  side  : 

O’er  the  brown  karroo,  where  the  bleating  cry 
Of  the  spring-bok’s  fawn  sounds  plaintively  ; 

Where  the  zebra  wantonly  tosses  his  mane. 

With  wild  hoof  scouring  the  desolate  plain  ; 

And  the  fleet-footed  ostrich  over  the  waste 
Speeds  like  a horseman  who  ti'avels  in  haste. 

Hieing  away  to  the  home  of  her  rest. 

Where  she  and  her  mate  have  scooped  their  nest. 


NOTES. 


183 


Fai'  hid  from  the  pitiless  plunderer’s  view 
In  the  pathless  depths  of  the  parched  karroo. 

“ And  here,  while  the  night-winds  round  me  sigh, 
And  the  stars  burn  bright  in  the  midnight  sky. 

As  I sit  apart  by  the  desert  stone, 
l^ike  Elijah  at  Horeb’s  cave  alone, 

‘ A still  small  voice’  comes  through  the  wild 
(Like  a father  consoling  his  fretful  child). 

Which  banishes  bitterness,  wrath,  and  fear. 

Saying,  Man  is  Distant,  but  God  is  Near  ! ” 

Thomas  Pringle, 


Page  142,  Chap,  xxxix.  ly. 

“ Hast  thou  piven  the  horse  stren<zth  P” 

“ Here  are  all  the  great  and  sprightly  images  that  thought  can  form  of 
this  generous  beast,  expressed  in  such  force  and  vigour  of  style  as  would 
have  given  the  great  wits  of  antiquity  new  laws  for  the  sublime,  had  they 
been  acquainted  with  these  writings.  I cannot  but  particularly  obseiwe,  that 
whereas  the  classical  poets  chiefly  endeavour  to  paint  the  outward,  figure, 
lineaments,  and  motions,  the  sacred  poet  makes  all  the  beauties  to  flow  from 
an  inward  principle  in  the  creature  he  describes,  and  thereby  gives  great 
spirit  and  vivacity  to  his  description.” 

Sir  Richard  Steele  in  ’"'■The  Guardian^'  No.  86. 

The  following  are  the  classical  poets  to  whom  Sir  Richard  refers  : — 

“ Freed  from  his  keepers,  thus  with  broken  reins 
The  wanton  courser  prances  o’er  the  plains  ; 

Or  in  the  pride  of  youth  o’erleaps  the  mounds. 

And  snuffs  the  females  in  forbidden  grounds  : 

Or  seeks  his  watering  in  the  well-known  flood. 

To  quench  his  thirst,  and  cool  his  fiery  blood  ; 


NOTES, 


184 


He  swims  luxuriant  in  the  liquid  plain, 

And  o’er  his  shoulders  flows  his  wavy  mane  ; 

He  neighs,  he  snorts,  he  bears  his  head  on  high. 

Before  his  ample  chest  the  frothy  waters  fly.” 

Homer,  by  Pope. 

“ 'The  fiery  courser,  when  he  hears  from  far 
The  sprightly  trumpets,  and  the  shouts  of  war. 

Pricks  up  his  ears  ; and,  trembling  with  delight. 

Shifts  pace,  and  paws  ; and  hopes  the  promised  fight. 

On  his  right  shoulder  his  thick  mane  reclin’d. 

Ruffles  at  speed,  and  dances  in  the  wind. 

His  horny  hoofs  are  jetty  black,  and  round  ; 

His  chine  is  double  ; starting  with  a bound. 

He  turns  the  turf,  and  shakes  the  solid  ground. 

Fire  from  his  eyes,  clouds  from  his  nostrils,  flow. 

He  bears  his  rider  headlong  on  the  foe.” 

Virgil,  by  Dryden. 

“ So  when  this  ring  with  joyful  shouts  resounds. 

With  rage  and  pi  ide  th’  imprisoned  courser  bounds  ; 

He  frets,  he  foams,  he  rends  his  Idle  rein. 

Springs  o’er  the  fence,  and  headlong  seeks  the  plain.” 

Lucan,  by  Rowe. 


This  description  of  the  war-horse  is  one  of  the  non-Hebrew  features  of 
the  book  of  Job.  But  just  as  the  Jews  were  forbidden  to  “ trust  in  horses,” 
so  this  noble  animal  appears  to  have  been  from  the  earliest  period  the  special 
favourite  of  their  Ishmaelite  and  Assyrian  neighbours.  The  fellow-feeling 
of  this  passage, — the  sympathy  with  the  charger’s  “inward  spirit”  which 
Steele  so  acutely  points  out, — is  what  we  might  expect  In  an  Arabian  poet, 
and  by  no  modern  reader  can  it  be  more  thoroughly  appreciated  than  by  a 
British  hussar.  An  interesting  volume  might  be  filled  with  anecdotes  of 
the  horse, — his  heroism,  docility,  and  other  virtues, — beginning  with  Buce- 
phalus who,  wounded  In  the  heat  of  action,  bore  Alexander  to  a place  of 


NOTES. 


85 


safety,  knelt  down  for  his  master  to  alight,  as  was  his  custom,  “ and  having 
thus,  like  a true  and  faithful  servant,  discharged  his  duty  to  the  last,  he 
trembled,  dropped  down,  and  died.” 


Page  143,  Chap,  xxxix.  27. 

“ Doth  the  eagle  mount  up  at  thy  command  ? ’ ’ 

The  noblest  description  of  the  king  of  birds  is  in  Campbell’s  lines  on 
“ The  Dead  Eagle  : written  at  Oran.” 

“ He  was  the  sultan  of  the  sky,  and  earth 
Paid  tribute  to  his  eyry.  It  was  perch’d 
Higher  than  human  conqueror  ever  built 
His  banner’d  fort.  Where  Atlas’  top  looks  o’er 
Zahara’s  desert  to  the  Equator’s  line  : 

From  thence  the  winged  despot  mark’d  his  prey. 

Above  th’  encampments  of  the  Bedouins,  ere 
Their  watchfires  were  extinct,  or  camels  knelt 
To  take  their  loads,  or  horsemen  scour’d  the  plain. 

And  there  he  dried  his  feathers  in  the  dawn. 

Whilst  yet  th’  unwakened  world  was  dark  below. 

“ He  clove  the  adverse  storm. 

And  cuff’d  it  with  his  wings.  He  stopp’d  his  flight 
As  easily  as  the  Arab  reins  his  steed. 

And  stood  at  pleasure  ’neath  Heaven’s  zenith,  like 
A lamp  suspended  from  its  azure  dome. 

Whilst  underneath  him  the  world’s  mountains  lay 
Like  molehills,  and  her  streams  like  lucid  threads.  . . . 

‘‘  He — reckless  who  was  victor,  and  above 
The  hearing  of  their  guns — saw  fleets  engaged 
In  flaming  combat.  It  was  nought  to  him 
What  carnage.  Moor  or  Christian,  strew’d  their  decks.  . . . 


[86  NOTES. 


“ The  earthquake’s  self 
Disturb’d  not  him  that  memorable  day, 

When,  o’er  yon  table-land,  where  Spain  had  built 
Cathedrals,  cannon’d  forts,  and  palaces, 

A palsy-stroke  of  nature  shook  Oran, 

Turning  her  city  to  a sepulchre. 

And  strewing  into  rubbish  all  her  homes ; 

Amidst  whose  traceable  foundations  now. 

Of  streets  and  squares,  the  hyaena  hides  himself. 

That  hour  beheld  him  fly  as  careless  o’er 
The  stifled  shrieks  of  thousands  buried  quick. 

As  lately  when  he  pounced  the  speckled  snake. 

Coll’d  in  yon  mallows  and  wide  nettle  fields 
That  mantle  o’er  the  dead  old  Spanish  town.” 

Page  146,  Chap.  xl.  15. 

“ Behold  nonv  behemoth B 

“ The  flood  disparts  : behold  ! in  plaited  mail 
Behemoth  rears  his  head.  Glanced  from  his  side. 

The  darted  steel  in  idle  shivers  flies  ; 

He  fearless  walks  the  plain,  or  seeks  the  hills  ; 

Where,  as  he  crops  his  varied  fare,  the  herds. 

In  widening  circle  round,  forget  their  food. 

And  at  the  harmless  stranger  wondering  gaze.” 

Thomson’s  “ Summer B 

Page  1 46,  Chap.  xli.  i . 

“ Canst  thou  draw  out  leviathan?''' 

“ Along  these  lonely  regions  where,  retired 
From  little  scenes  of  art.  Great  Nature  dwells 
In  awful  solitude,  and  nought  is  seen 
But  the  wild  herds  that  own  no  master’s  stall. 


NOTES.  187 


Prodigious  rivers  roll  their  fattening  seas : 

On  whose  luxuriant  herbage,  half-conceal’d, 

Like  a fallen  cedar,  far  diffused  his  train. 

Cased  in  green  scales,  the  crocodile  extends.” 

Thomson’s  “ Summer ^ 

The  leviathan  of  Job  is  obviously  the  crocodile  ; but  Milton,  in  his 
account  of  the  Creation,  transfers  the  title  to  the  whale  : — 

“ There  leviathan. 

Hugest  of  living  creatures,  on  the  deep 
Stretch’d  like  a promontory,  sleeps  or  swims. 

And  seems  a moving  land ; and  at  his  gills 
Di  •aws  in,  and  at  his  ti'unk  spouts  out,  a sea.” 

Paradise  Lost,  Book  vii. 


Page  149,  Chap.  xli.  22. 

“ In  his  neck  remaineth  strength. 

And  sorronv  is  turned  into  joy  before  himP 

“ Tn  his  neck  dwelleth  Might, 

And  Destmction  exulteth  before  him.” — Good. 

Page  153,  Chap.  xlii.  2. 

“ / hnomj  that  thou  canst  do  every  thing. 

And  that  no  thought  can  he  vuithholde7i  from  thee.'^ 

“Thou  canst  accomplish  all  things,  Loi'd  of  might! 
And  every  thought  is  naked  to  thy  sight : 

But  oh  1 thy  ways  are  wonderful,  and  lie 
Beyond  the  deepest  reach  of  mortal  eye. 

Oft  have  I bear'd  of  thine  Almighty  power. 

But  never  saw  thee  till  this  dreadful  hour. 


i88 


NOTES. 


O’er  whelmed  with  shame,  the  Lord  of  life  I see, 
Abhor  myself,  and  give  my  soul  to  thee  : 

Nor  shall  my  weakness  tempt  thine  anger  more  : 
Man  is  not  made  to  question,  but  adore.” — Toung. 


Page  153,  Chap.  xlii.  6. 

“ Wherefore  I abhor  myself” 

“ Job’s  error  was  this,  that  he  asserted  his  innocence  not  only  against 
men,  but  against  God.  He  not  only  denied  that  he  was  a hypocrite  in  the 
common  sense  of  the  term,  or  a sinner  according  to  man’s  use  and  meaning 
of  the  word,  but  he  seems  to  have  maintained  his  innocence  in  a yet  higher 
sense,  as  if  it  could  endure  God’s  judgment  no  less  than  man’s.  And  for 
this  he  is  reproved  by  Elihu,  and  reminded  that  although  he  might  justly 
call  himself  good,  in  the  common  meaning  of  the  word,  and  justly  repel 
the  charge  of  common  hypocrisy,  yet  that  goodness  in  God’s  meaning  is  of 
a far  higher  nature  ; that  when  tried  by  his  standard,  all  are  sinners  ; and 
that  in  his  sight  can  no  man  living  be  justified.  To  this  view  of  the  case 
Job  at  last  yields  ; he  confesses  that  he  had  spoken  in  ignorance,  and  that 
now,  better  informed  of  what  God  is,  and  of  man’s  infinite  unworthiness  in 
His  sight,  he  abhors  himself  and  repents  in  dust  and  ashes.  It  is  manifest 
that  this  is  exactly  the  state  of  mind  which  is  required  before  a man  can 
embrace  God’s  offer  of  forgiveness  through  Christ.  And  in  the  book  of 
Job,  no  less  than  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  we  find  that  he  who  thus 
casts  away  his  trust  in  his  own  righteousness,  and  acknowledges  that  in 
God’s  sight  he  is  only  a sinner,  becomes  forgiven  and  accepted,  and  that 
his  latter  end  is  better  than  his  beginning.” 

Arnold’s  Sermons  on  the  Interpretation  of  Scripture, 


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